JP/INDONESIA

JP/INDONESIA

Indonesian lawyer for Australian drugs charges model quits

The Indonesian lawyer representing an Australian model held on drugs charges on the resort island of Bali said on Friday he quit the case because he could not meet her expectations.

Muhammad Rifan said Michelle Leslie and her family had made demands which were impossible to meet under Indonesia's legal system. "I resigned because I am unable to meet the target set by my client and her family. We work according to the existing rules and system and we can't work beyond those boundaries," Rifan told AFP.

Leslie, a 24-year-old who has modelled for a lingerie brand, could face 15 years in prison if found guilty under Indonesia's tough anti-narcotics laws.

Rifan said his team could seek a lesser charge with a maximum sentence of three months.

"But even that is not enough for them," he said without elaborating.

Leslie was arrested last weekend after allegedly being found with two ecstasy pills near a dance party at Jimbaran.

She is among 12 young Australians who face execution or long prison sentences in Indonesia for drug offenses.

Thousands of Australians living in Indonesia were sent an email from their government warning them against using or trafficking drugs following a series of recent arrests, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Friday. -- AFP