Convicted aliens lodge appeal

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Three foreigners who were sentenced to death by the local district court last week for smuggling heroin have appealed to the higher court.

Saelow Prasert and Namsong Sirilak, both from Thailand, and Ayodya Prasat Chawbey of India have sent their petitions to the high court pleading their innocence, the Antara news agency reported quoting their Indonesian lawyers.

In their petition, they said that the government prosecution's case was circumstantial and that the court did not prove that they had in fact carried the contraband from Thailand to the Polonia airport in Medan last February.

The court found them guilty of attempting to smuggle a total of 12.19 kg of heroin through the airport. (emb)