Aussie lobbies RI over drug suspect<\/p>\n
Agencies, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Australia's justice minister lobbied his Indonesian counterpart
\non Thursday over the case of an Australian drug suspect facing a
\npossible death sentence, but denied his government was
\nintervening in the high-profile prosecution.<\/p>\n
Justice Minister Chris Ellison acknowledged he brought up the
\ncase of Schapelle Corby, on trial for drug smuggling on the
\nresort island of Bali, with Indonesian Minister of Justice and
\nHuman Rights Hamid Awaluddin.<\/p>\n
Ellison also said he had agreed to a request from Corby's
\nlawyers to discuss \"a number of issues\" related to the case when
\nhe met the Indonesian attorney general later in the day.<\/p>\n
But, Ellison said, \"I don't think anyone would ask us or
\nexpect us to intervene in court proceedings. That would be an
\ninappropriate request in Australia and an inappropriate request
\nin Indonesia\".<\/p>\n
He said the government will do whatever it can within the
\nbounds of the law to assist Corby. \"That does not mean
\nintervention in legal proceedings. We respect the independence of
\nthe judiciary in Indonesia as we do the independence of the
\njudiciary in Australia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Corby was arrested on Indonesia's Bali island in October after
\nairport authorities found 4.1 kilograms (9 pounds) of marijuana
\nin her surfboard bag as she arrived for a family holiday. Corby
\nhas maintained her innocence, claiming the drugs were planted.<\/p>\n
The case has become front-page news in Australia and turned
\nthe 27-year-old beauty student into a minor celebrity. It has
\nbeen elevated almost to a diplomatic issue between Australia and
\nIndonesia at a time when the two countries are mending ties.<\/p>\n
On a visit to Australia this week, Indonesian President Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono said he would ensure Corby received a fair
\ntrial, while Canberra has sought a prisoner transfer deal, which
\ncould see her repatriated if convicted.<\/p>\n
Canberra earlier also arranged the transfer of a prisoner to
\nthe Bali courtroom to give evidence that the defendant was
\nunwittingly ensnared in a domestic drug trafficking network
\ninvolving corrupt airport baggage handlers.<\/p>\n
Corby faces a maximum death sentence if convicted, and some
\nAustralians have suggested she could become a victim of
\nIndonesia's corrupt and poorly run judicial system.<\/p>\n
Her lawyers allege the drugs were planted by baggage handlers
\ninvolved in a domestic drug trafficking operation in the eastern
\ncity of Brisbane, where Corby boarded the plane. The marijuana
\nwas meant to be removed by handlers in Sydney, where an
\nunsuspecting Corby transferred to an Indonesia-bound flight.
\nBut the drugs were never picked up, the lawyers say, leaving
\nCorby holding the bag.<\/p>\n
Ellison said he also discussed with Hamid a possible prisoner
\ntransfer agreement, which would allow foreign convicts to serve
\ntime in prison back home.<\/p>\n
The Australian justice minister also denied that the
\ngovernment was acting in the Corby case because of media and
\npublic pressure at home, saying it would have taken the same
\naction in other overseas drug-related cases had it been asked.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aussie-lobbies-ri-over-drug-suspect-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}