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British Woman Sentenced to Death in Bali Drug Case British Woman Sentenced to Death in Bali Drug Case
(about 3 hours later)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — A British woman was sentenced to death Tuesday by an Indonesian court after she was caught smuggling $2.5 million worth of cocaine onto the island of Bali. JAKARTA, Indonesia — An Indonesian court sentenced a 56-year-old British woman to death on Tuesday for smuggling $2.5 million worth of cocaine onto the island of Bali, a decision that went far beyond the prosecutors’ recommendation of 15 years in prison.
The woman, Lindsay June Sandiford, 56, had said she was forced to take the drugs into the country by a gang that had threatened to hurt one of her children. Her death sentence came even though prosecutors had recommended only a 15-year prison sentence, and television footage showed Ms. Sandiford, a grandmother, sobbing at word of the verdict. In May, according to investigators, customs officials at Bali’s airport discovered 8.4 pounds of cocaine hidden in the lining of the travel bag carried by the woman, Lindsay June Sandiford. A grandmother, she said she was forced to take the drugs into the country by a gang that had threatened to hurt one of her children.
Investigators said customs officials at Bali’s airport discovered 8.4 pounds of cocaine hidden in the lining of her travel bag. Dismissing the prosecutors’ call for a prison term, judges at the Denpasar District Court decided on death after finding that Ms. Sandiford, by ferrying in the drugs, had damaged the image of Bali as a tourism destination and weakened the government’s drug prevention program. Television footage showed Ms. Sandiford sobbing. She is expected to appeal.
Indonesia is known for its tough treatment of people who commit drug offenses and other crimes, having put five foreigners to death in drug cases since 1998. Forty foreigners are currently on death row for drug and other offenses. The British Embassy said, “Britain remains strongly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances.”
In a statement issued after the sentence was delivered, the British Embassy said, “Britain remains strongly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances.” Indonesia, known for its tough treatment of people who commit drug offenses and other crimes, has put five foreigners to death in drug cases since 1998. Forty foreigners are on death row for drug and other offenses.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has granted clemency to four prisoners on death row for narcotics crimes. A decision to reduce the sentences of 19 drug convicts last October stirred a public backlash from critics who accused him of softening Indonesia’s antidrug policy. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has granted clemency to four prisoners on death row for narcotics crimes. Some analysts said the judges might have been motivated to issue the harshest possible sentence in the Sandiford case because the president’s decision to reduce the sentences of 19 drug convicts in October stirred a public backlash.
“It’s possible that could have influenced the thinking of the judges,” David McRae, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Australia, said in an e-mail. “On the other hand, it’s not unheard-of for sentences to exceed, even significantly exceed, the prosecutor’s sentencing request.”“It’s possible that could have influenced the thinking of the judges,” David McRae, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Australia, said in an e-mail. “On the other hand, it’s not unheard-of for sentences to exceed, even significantly exceed, the prosecutor’s sentencing request.”
Ms. Sandiford’s alleged accomplice, Anthony Pounder, also of Britain, is expected to be sentenced Wednesday. Douglas Ramage, an analyst with Bower Group Asia, said the sentence was in keeping with Indonesian precedent.
In handing down its verdict, the judicial panel at Denpasar District Court found that Ms. Sandiford, by ferrying in the drugs, had damaged the image of Bali as a tourism destination and weakened the government’s drug prevention program. “Foreigners and Indonesians alike have been regularly sentenced to the death penalty, so in a sense, Lindsay was not treated appreciably different than others who have come before Indonesian courts on drug trafficking charges,” he said.
Douglas Ramage, an analyst with Bower Group Asia, called the sentence fair by Indonesian standards. A Briton accused of serving as Ms. Sandiford’s accomplice, Anthony Pounder, is expected to be sentenced on Wednesday.
“Foreigners and Indonesians alike have been regularly sentenced to the death penalty, so in a sense, Lindsay was not treated appreciably different than others who have come before Indonesian courts on drug-trafficking charges,” he said.

Gerry Mullany contributed reporting from Hong Kong.

Gerry Mullany contributed reporting from Hong Kong.