Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Lindsay Sandiford: Death row Redcar gran's sister travels to Bali in last ditch attempt to save her life


The sister of Redcar gran Lindsay Sandiford who could be executed in weeks, has flown to Bali in a last ditch attempt to save her life.


Hilary Parsons is reported to have gone to the Indonesian island with three lawyers in a bid to save her 58-year-old sister’s life.


Sandiford is facing death by firing squad after she was convicted of trying to smuggle £1.6 million of cocaine into Bali in May 2012.


She claims she was forced to transport the drugs to protect her son, whose safety was at stake.


Sandiford, originally from Redcar but now of Cheltenham, currently has no legal representation and cannot afford to pay for a lawyer, which means she had been denied the opportunity to fully challenge her death penalty and the right to file for clemency.


And two other Bali prisoners - Australian ringleaders of a heroin smuggling ring are facing death by firing squad in what could be a matter of days.


The executions of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were said to be in the final stages of preparation.


Representatives of Indonesia’s legal department were reported to be meeting Australian officials in Jakarta to discuss the execution.


Indonesia’s Attorney General was reported to have said the prisoners will be transferred to the place where they will face the firing squad “in a matter of days”.


It is understand that Sandiford has one last legal attempt at saving her own life which is to ask for a judicial review of her case.


Recently-elected President, Joko Widodo has said he will show “no mercy” to people sentenced to death for serious drug offences and so far he has held to his word with the execution last month of six prisoners for drug-linked offences.


However, the Attorney General’s Department has made it clear that no-one will be put to death until they have exhausted every possible legal avenue.


The Foreign Office has previously said that it had consistently provided and offered consular support to Sandiford, which she at the time declined to accept.



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