Posted on 05/29/2005 1:03:37 PM PDT by wagglebee
CHAPELLE Corby is suffering cruel abuse and racial taunts in jail as Indonesian authorities move to keep her in prison for life.
The Indonesian Government yesterday backed the prosecution bid to toughen Corby's 20-year jail sentence for smuggling 4.1 kilograms of marijuana into Bali's airport last October.
"The 20 years in jail handed down by the Denpasar District Court is too light," Indonesian Attorney-General Abdul Rahman Sale told the Bali Post newspaper.
"She deserves to be sentenced to life."
As the reality of the marathon jail term sank in, Corby, 27, issued a heartfelt thank you to the nation.
"Thank you Australia. Thank you for standing by me," she said through her lawyers.
"Thank you for being there with me."
In other developments:
IT emerged long-term inmates of the dirty and overcrowded prison where she is being held have life expectancies of only 10 years.
THE trial judge defended his verdict as just.
HER family fears she may take her life if she is left to rot in prison.
MEMBERS of the Bali 9 were left dispirited after hearing for the first time that Corby had been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
THE Federal Government is offering to pay for the services of two top QCs with expertise in appeals in Indonesian law.
Corby's Indonesian lawyer, Vasu Rasiah, said she was struggling inside the notorious Kerobokan prison.
"Schapelle is very emotional - sometimes she is smiling, sometimes she is crying," he said.
"She's undergoing deep shock."
"Five or 10 years maybe you can understand, but 20 years - she just can't comprehend the time frame."
Ms Corby's cousin, who gave her name only as Nina, described the Australian's jail cell as a "disgusting, dirty and overcrowded place".
"She says the Indonesians inside are giving her hell because she wears western clothes and she can't speak Indonesian," she said.
The jail, near the Balinese capital Denpasar, was built for 366 prisoners, but holds 525. Among them are the Bali bombers.
The "Smiling Assassin" Amrozi - so-called because he laughed when punished for his role in killing 88 Australians - has yelled abuse at Corby as she tried to exercise.
Kerobokan prison doctor Anak Agung Gede Hartawan said common diseases included respiratory ailments and skin conditions, while many prisoners complained of headaches.
AIDS/HIV was rife, because corrupt officials turned a blind eye to drug abuse - indeed they are implicated in supplying them.
Dr Hartawan said 11 prisoners were confirmed carriers of HIV/AIDS, but dozens more were thought to have the virus.
Corby shares her 5m-wide cell with seven other women.
She will be forced to wash with a small bucket of untreated water and a ladle.
The squat toilet is near the food preparation area and the risk of contracting gastric disease is high.
For up to 20 hours a day she will be confined to her cell, where she will sleep on a mat on a tiled floor under a fluorescent light that is never switched off.
Chief judge Linton Sirait defended the guilty verdict, dismissing public angst the decision has caused.
"I am responsible for my verdict to the God, not to the people."
Corby's mother Rosleigh had screamed after the verdict that the judges would lose sleep over their decision, but yesterday Judge Sirait said he had slept "very well last night".
He said had not let Corby's emotion influence the decision.
"A judge is not allowed to bring his emotion to the case, so the judge decides in accordance to the law," he said.
Corby's family last night issued a statement appealing to Australians to continue visiting Bali.
"Do not boycott Bali. We don't want the Balinese people to hurt any more," it said.
"We just want the Australian people to boycott Qantas flights and direct your anger at Jakarta.
"Thank you to all the Australian people for their support. We are not finished yet."
Corby's brother Michael feared his sister might try to take her own life.
"She'd be thinking of killing herself," he said.
"She's been strong up until now, believing justice will prevail. But now . . . she's not going to cope."
Corby's Australian lawyer said it was likely they would accept the Australian Government's offer of legal assistance.
Solicitor Robin Tampoe said any assistance from Perth QCs Tom Percy and Mark Trowell, experts in appeals and Indonesian law, would be welcome.
The Australian Government had urged the Corby defence team to accept the pro bono offer.
Mr Percy yesterday warned that Corby risked having her jail term extended to life if the defence team appealed.
But criminologist Professor Paul Wilson, who testified in favour of Corby during the trial, said a win was not out of the question.
"It will be extremely difficult, but not impossible," he said.
What is peace? When every citizen can be safe not only at home but abroad.
Without that Australia asserts itself and rescues this girl, they will suffer more Bali bombers for appearing weak. IMO.
I actually think it was planted. It was a large amount, she's a beautician, she's running over to Bali for a quick holiday, and it shows up easily found in her bag?
The "secret compartment" as described by third world police, who will go home tonight and rub two sticks together to make fire.
I ask because I get a ton of laptop bags as meeting goodies, and I'm always finding interior zipper pockets in the weirdest places long after I've used the bag for a few trips. I could see a surfing board bag having interior pockets for carrying cords, wax, repair kits, tools, additional fins, wet bathing suits, etc.
I've been somewhat sympathetic toward her but this is the first I heard of a secret compartment, so I hit search and found there is disagreement as to whether she resisted (prosecution)or volutarily (defense)opened a compartment. I didn't find anything about a "secret" compartment. How much does a full body board bag generally weigh? I know when I'm carting stuff through the airport, everything feels like it weighs about 600 lbs. - I'm not sure if I'd notice an addl. nine.
Agreed, they should be executed.
In my view, all Islamics are extremists. It is just not a religion compatible with democratic republics or modernism.
No-one should be stirring the inter-national pot of tension at the moment.
Who can honestly say that they haven't caused a great, international incident. I know I have! Most normal adolescents go through a phase of starting three or four wars a day, but most certainly, some are attracted to it by it's very immorality. I know I was!
There is a very delicate balance to the very fabric of the universe at the moment.
Oh, don't go all Obi-wan Kenobi on me now. You were doing so well.
Thank you inspector Clouseau. Now would you like to give you opinion on 20 year jail terms, because the appropriate bribes were not paid?
Not all Indonesian policemen and judges are able to be corrupted you know, even though you may want to paint them all with the same brush.
"BTW, those terrorists that blew up the Bali nightclub, that are in that same prison are supposedly only doing 5 years!"
Yes, but you're forgetting that these were peaceful Muslims blowing up nasty Christians.
Ron Reagan's good old motto -- it can be restated too. It's the clue as to where the most potent of political forces lie.
Tell it to someone that hasn't lived there for a year.
I am definitely the right man to get these initiatives through.
LAZ 2008!
Same reason I lived in a lot of muslim crap holes, for the convenience of the US Government.
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