Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 6, 2006 18:33:03 GMT -5
Downer calls for calm
Australia's Foreign Minister is calling for calm, and understanding of
Indonesian law amid condemnation of the death sentences imposed on 4 of
the 9 Australians convicted of drug smuggling last year.
Alexander Downer told reporters he hoped to find out more information
during the course of the day.
"We would expect the normal practice in situations like this for the court
to communicate its decision first and foremost to the lawyers of the
accused, or the appellants,'' he said.
"And we haven't heard that the lawyers have been given any information.''
While the families of the Bali Nine absorb the latest twist in the case, a
Liberal backbencher has suggested Indonesia is in a greater hurry to
execute Australian drug traffickers than it is to prosecute the Bali
bombers.
"We always know that executions are quite barbaric. I'd actually want them
to get on with the executions, if they have to get into executions, of the
Bali bombers,'' Liberal backbencher Don Randall told reporters in Canberra
today.
"They seem to be taking an awful long time to deal with them (The Bali
bombers). They seem to be a bit more motivated when it comes to the
Australian prisoners.''
Family's shock
Meanwhile, the father of convicted Bali Nine drug courier Scott Rush says
the family is in shock at news their son now faces execution by firing
squad after an appeal against his life sentence.
Indonesia's Supreme Court issued new, unexpected appeal verdicts on 4 of
the 9 Australians involved in the case, in which the group tried to
smuggle heroin from Bali to Australia in April last year.
Death sentences have now been handed down to 20-year-old Scott Rush, Tan
Duc Thanh Nguyen, 23, Si Yi Chen, 21, and 19-year-old Matthew Norman.
The men were sentenced to life in prison at their original trial, but that
was cut to 20 years by Bali's High Court.
Prosecutors appealed to the Supreme Court, which has now given them the
death penalty.
Brisbane-based Lee Rush today said his family heard the news last night
from a journalist but had received no confirmation from the Australian
Government nor his son's lawyer, who also had not been told of the new
sentences.
Mr Rush said the family was "dumbfounded", had not expected the decision
and were doing their best to cope with the reports.
He said he had not yet spoken to Scott but planned to fly to Bali.
Mr Rush told ABC radio he was aware his son had launched an appeal but
could not understand how neither he, nor his family, had been told of the
outcome.
"We've never fully understood the Indonesian law and their method of
delivering verdicts and we're even more dumbfounded now," he said. The
sentences mean at least 6 of the Australian heroin smugglers now face
execution, with Andrew Chan, 22, and Myuran Sukumaran, 25, already facing
the death penalty.
Verdicts in the appeals of Michael Czugaj and Martin Stephens are pending,
and Renae Lawrence did not lodge a further appeal to her 20-year sentence.
Protest against Bali
Meanwhile 3 of the Bali bombers accused of killing 202 people in 2002 -
Ali Ghufron, Amrozi and Imam Samudra - are seeking a last-ditch appeal
against their death sentences.
Mr Randall said he would encourage Australians to holiday anywhere other
than Bali in protest at the move, but warned also of the grave dangers of
trafficking drugs in Asia.
"When you leave Australia you put yourself in the hands of another
country's laws and rules, people do that knowingly,'' Mr Randall said.
Mr Randall said Australia had long had a rocky relationship with
Indonesia, but we had to work to get along.
"I think we have always had a bit of a turbulent relationship, we have
just got to keep working on it, they're our nearest neighbour and it's in
our best interests to get along,'' he said.
Labor MP Tony Burke said the death penalty decision was "chilling''.
"The people there were involved in a very serious crime, but even the
prosecution in Indonesia was asking for life and they were given death,''
Mr Burke said.
(source: The Age)
Australia's Foreign Minister is calling for calm, and understanding of
Indonesian law amid condemnation of the death sentences imposed on 4 of
the 9 Australians convicted of drug smuggling last year.
Alexander Downer told reporters he hoped to find out more information
during the course of the day.
"We would expect the normal practice in situations like this for the court
to communicate its decision first and foremost to the lawyers of the
accused, or the appellants,'' he said.
"And we haven't heard that the lawyers have been given any information.''
While the families of the Bali Nine absorb the latest twist in the case, a
Liberal backbencher has suggested Indonesia is in a greater hurry to
execute Australian drug traffickers than it is to prosecute the Bali
bombers.
"We always know that executions are quite barbaric. I'd actually want them
to get on with the executions, if they have to get into executions, of the
Bali bombers,'' Liberal backbencher Don Randall told reporters in Canberra
today.
"They seem to be taking an awful long time to deal with them (The Bali
bombers). They seem to be a bit more motivated when it comes to the
Australian prisoners.''
Family's shock
Meanwhile, the father of convicted Bali Nine drug courier Scott Rush says
the family is in shock at news their son now faces execution by firing
squad after an appeal against his life sentence.
Indonesia's Supreme Court issued new, unexpected appeal verdicts on 4 of
the 9 Australians involved in the case, in which the group tried to
smuggle heroin from Bali to Australia in April last year.
Death sentences have now been handed down to 20-year-old Scott Rush, Tan
Duc Thanh Nguyen, 23, Si Yi Chen, 21, and 19-year-old Matthew Norman.
The men were sentenced to life in prison at their original trial, but that
was cut to 20 years by Bali's High Court.
Prosecutors appealed to the Supreme Court, which has now given them the
death penalty.
Brisbane-based Lee Rush today said his family heard the news last night
from a journalist but had received no confirmation from the Australian
Government nor his son's lawyer, who also had not been told of the new
sentences.
Mr Rush said the family was "dumbfounded", had not expected the decision
and were doing their best to cope with the reports.
He said he had not yet spoken to Scott but planned to fly to Bali.
Mr Rush told ABC radio he was aware his son had launched an appeal but
could not understand how neither he, nor his family, had been told of the
outcome.
"We've never fully understood the Indonesian law and their method of
delivering verdicts and we're even more dumbfounded now," he said. The
sentences mean at least 6 of the Australian heroin smugglers now face
execution, with Andrew Chan, 22, and Myuran Sukumaran, 25, already facing
the death penalty.
Verdicts in the appeals of Michael Czugaj and Martin Stephens are pending,
and Renae Lawrence did not lodge a further appeal to her 20-year sentence.
Protest against Bali
Meanwhile 3 of the Bali bombers accused of killing 202 people in 2002 -
Ali Ghufron, Amrozi and Imam Samudra - are seeking a last-ditch appeal
against their death sentences.
Mr Randall said he would encourage Australians to holiday anywhere other
than Bali in protest at the move, but warned also of the grave dangers of
trafficking drugs in Asia.
"When you leave Australia you put yourself in the hands of another
country's laws and rules, people do that knowingly,'' Mr Randall said.
Mr Randall said Australia had long had a rocky relationship with
Indonesia, but we had to work to get along.
"I think we have always had a bit of a turbulent relationship, we have
just got to keep working on it, they're our nearest neighbour and it's in
our best interests to get along,'' he said.
Labor MP Tony Burke said the death penalty decision was "chilling''.
"The people there were involved in a very serious crime, but even the
prosecution in Indonesia was asking for life and they were given death,''
Mr Burke said.
(source: The Age)