Pubdate: Thu, 17 Feb 2005
Source: Herald Sun (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 Herald and Weekly Times
Contact:  http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/187
Author: Marian Carroll, in Denpasar
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

PROTESTERS DEMAND EXECUTION

PROTESTERS stormed a Bali courtroom today, demanding the execution of 
Australian Schapelle Corby as she faced trial on drug smuggling charges.

About 10 protesters from an Indonesian anti-narcotics group, GRANAT, 
invaded Denpasar District Court, demanding Ms Corby be put to death for the 
alleged crime.

The protest triggered a furious reaction from Ms Corby's mother, Rosleigh, 
who hurled water at the placard-waving group.

"You have already found my daughter guilty and she is innocent," Mrs Corby 
said.

The Gold Coast beauty school student has denied trying to smuggle 4.1kg of 
cannabis leaf and heads into Bali's Denpasar Airport last year, in her 
unlocked boogieboard bag.

Ms Corby, 27, claims someone must have planted the pillow case-sized stash 
in her luggage between Brisbane and Denpasar airports, leading to her 
arrest last October.

At the hearing today, one protester, Nur Azizah, shouted: "There is already 
one person executed in Bali for 2kg of marijuana. I don't want to see Corby 
go free for bringing 4.1kg."

Ms Corby's mother shouted back: "Why can't you be saying try and find 
evidence? No one seems to be trying to find who put the bloody stuff in the 
bag. They don't care."

Last week, Ms Corby broke down in court, saying there must be some 
evidence, somewhere -- such as security camera footage -- to prove her 
innocence.

Indonesian prosecutors claim Ms Corby admitted owning the marijuana and 
that she refused to open her bag when customs officers at an airport x-ray 
machine identified a suspicious package inside.

Outside the court today, Mrs Corby told the protesters they would be 
punished for seeking to punish her daughter.

"Karma comes around to naughty, dishonest people. Karma. Do you believe in 
Karma?" she said.

Police and prosecutors have said they will seek the maximum penalty of 
death by firing squad if Ms Corby is convicted.

Her lawyers have accused Indonesian customs officers of lying.
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MAP posted-by: Beth