Is minister of justice lying?

Is minister of justice lying?

We are against drugs and we understand the need to fight
against drug dealers. However, Michael Blanc, who has been
imprisoned in Denpasar, Bali, for three years now, is not one of
them: he is innocent of all crimes and we believe he is the
victim of a judicial error as can happen in any other country.

When arrested he was still very young and couldn't speak
Bahasa Indonesia, so he was unable to defend himself properly. He
has behaved well during his three years in jail in Denpasar.

We would like to inform the Indonesian public that the death
penalty has been abolished in France since 1982. Also, for what
is said to have been done by Michael -- entering Bali from
Bangkok with four kilograms of hashish -- he would have received
a much lighter sentence in France, a maximum of three years
depending on his record.

Hashish is considered in France -- as in most countries of the
European Union -- to be a soft drug. It is even legalized in
Holland. So, it is impossible for President Chirac to have said
to Pak Yusril, as he affirmed to a Republika journalist on Feb.
5, 2003, that anyone caught entering France with four kilograms
of hashish could be sentenced to the death penalty.

According to Pak Yusril when speaking to Republika, Michael
should be happy to have only received a sentence of life
imprisonment.

We would like to remind President Megawati that President
Chirac has sent a personal letter to her asking her for clemency
for Michael Blanc. We hope that she will make a positive decision
in this regard as soon as possible.

YVAN MAGAIN, Tubize, Belgium