Bali 9 to face the death penalty

[Craig]

Just on the news that the nine Australians facing charges of drug trafficking from Bali to back to Australia will face the death penalty if found gulity which is almost a near certainty. Three of them are from Brisbane so I expect it to be on the front page/s of the local papers up here.

They plead their innocence and yet a couple of them claim they didn't know what it was and claim they were forced to do it or their families would be murdered (perhaps more of a scare tatic?) but it doesn't quite wash with me.

They have also mentioned in articles about the case how some of the ring leaders in this went up two of the suspects in a Brisbane nightclub and tricked them into agreeing by going to Bali and to earn some cash but not actually saying what it was. They also mentioned how one of the ringleaders said he would take care of everything (ie passports) and if this sounded too good to be true, he shouted them alcohlic drinks and make them more likely to say yes and which they did. I feel sorry for some of the parents who didn't even know about what was happening (and in some cases didn't even know their son/s were in Bali) but less for the 9 arrested.

Thoughts?

[Burpey]

I don't really care ... don't people get busted for drugs all the time ? And don't get me started on the Corby drama ...

[FaaipDeOiad]

Horrifically immoral to kill someone for a non-violent crime if you ask me. Nothing special about the case aside from that the people are Australian from our point of view, but it's still a terrible tragedy.

[Adamc]

No sympathy whatsoever from me. Hopefully the Australian media will stay at arms length and spare us the crap they spouted during the Corby trial as well.

[Burpey]

The law's the law ... I agree that the penalty is a bit severe but it's written down in black and white in Indonesian law. These stupid people took the risk knowing the consequences, especially after Corby got caught, and now must take responsibility for their actions.

[Shounak]

They did the crime, they pay the punishment.

Their own damn fault for trafficking drugs in Indonesia. Everyone knows about Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, possibly Vietnam's heavy handed, capital punishments for drug related crimes. They took the risk, and are paying dearly for it.

But for people that say it's excessive, who are you to judge. German people caught doing over 200km on Australian highways can't say that they should be exempt because the rules in Germany are different. By entering a country you agree to abide by its rule. End of story.

[Adamc]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

Horrifically immoral to kill someone for a non-violent crime if you ask me. Nothing special about the case aside from that the people are Australian from our point of view, but it's still a terrible tragedy.

It's horrifically immoral to put anyone to death full stop, but that can't be any excuse when they must have been (or ought to have been) well aware of the consequences of engaging in that sort of activity.

[Shounak]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

Horrifically immoral to kill someone for a non-violent crime if you ask me. Nothing special about the case aside from that the people are Australian from our point of view, but it's still a terrible tragedy.

But what about the Australian primary school teacher who was found with about 29kg of weed. She got a suspended sentence or something. I think she even went on teaching primary schools.

A death penalty may be too harsh, but I think Australia needs to crack down a lot harder on drug traffickers and smugglers. 20 year prison terms would be a good detterent. I don't want those scum on my streets. Mind you, I'm talking about the traffickers and dealers, not the users. But a crackdown (pardon the pun) on dealers will of course reduce users.

[Shounak]

Originally Posted by Adamc

It's horrifically immoral to put anyone to death full stop, but that can't be any excuse when they must have been (or ought to have been) well aware of the consequences of engaging in that sort of activity.

I personally welcome capital punishment for Murder, Rapes and those kinds of serious acts. It puts an end to the evil in my eyes.

[C_C]

I dont agree with capital punishments- for ANY crime- but having said that, an indipendent nation is entitled to have any set of laws they wish and as long as they apply it consistently, one cannot complain about the penalty, provided that it is a proven crime.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by shounak

I personally welcome capital punishment for Murder, Rapes and those kinds of serious acts. It puts an end to the evil in my eyes.

Given his occupation I so can't wait for Corey's response to that.

[BoyBrumby]

I am a fan of the rope, but only for certain types of murder (premeditated, committed in the course of another crime, sexually motivated). I think the law of Indonesia is draconian, but you have to imagine these people knew what that law was. If they're guilty of the crime they stand accused of they're also guilty of at best appalling naivety or at worse rank stupidity.

[Slow Love™]

Originally Posted by Adamc

No sympathy whatsoever from me. Hopefully the Australian media will stay at arms length and spare us the crap they spouted during the Corby trial as well.

Oh, give me a break.

I'm aware of some of the press's angst regarding Corby and her attractiveness, and why she got the spotlight - I don't even disagree with the logic of it.

However, this doesn't mean that a) she was guilty, or b) even if she was guilty, she deserved the death penalty for smuggling marijuana into the country. In an ideal world, it wouldn't be only a pretty girl that would receive so much attention (there is, in fact, in Hawaii, an Australian man languishing in prison for the crime of homosexuality), but that just means, IMO, that more people than just that are entitled to such attention - rather than the flipside, which is that none do.

And the same is true of these people, even if it seems obvious that they are guilty. If you have a principled objection to the death penalty (as you have articulated), then surely that should be applied to all instances.

Do I think these people should walk free? No. They committed a crime, and must pay a penalty. Do I think they should be put to death? No, I do not, and I consider such a penalty (particularly for this type of crime) to be little short of barbaric.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by burkey_1988

I don't really care ... don't people get busted for drugs all the time ? And don't get me started on the Corby drama ...

The amount of narrowmindness by people on the subject is unbelieveble.

I have had to sit through breaks at work with people saying the Australian Government should ask for it's tsnumai relief money (AUD$1b) back if they don't relalise Corby - which is wrong and blackmail; boycott Bali in revenge for Corby being locked up for 20 years. And people not realising that life actually means life in Asia, not here where it is what? 20, 25, 30 years at the most? Whilest she got 20 years and it is a long time, she actually got a good deal when they could have shot her or put behind bars or for good.

[King_Ponting]

They committed a crime and should pay the penalty. however i dont see death as apropriate