43-year-old Woman Faces Death for Personal Marijuana

[motion]

43-year-old Woman Faces Death for Personal Marijuana
by Cindy Wockner and Komang Suriadi (22 May, 2006)

Another Australian faces Indonesian court for cannabis

Indonesia – The outfit is a familiar one for an Australian female facing drugs charges in Indonesia. But Barbara Kathleen Higgs' scarf was not in aid of a claimed conversion, or return, to Islam, or even an affinity with the religion. The 43-year-old used the scarf and sunglasses, and then court papers, in an effort to hide her face as she pleaded with judges on Lombok to have "pity" and think about the effect on her family back in Australia.

She begged to be allowed to keep up the disguise. The judges were not happy with the request to depart from usual court rules but in the end allowed the trembling woman her wish.

Higgs, from Pinjarra in Western Australia, was arrested in Lombok three months ago and now faces the harshest of Indonesia's drug laws – article 82 which carries the maximum death penalty for dealing in drugs – the same narcotics laws used to convict Australians Schapelle Corby and the Bali Nine.

She also faces two lesser charges and her lawyers say that hitting her with the main charge is an exaggeration of the case against her.

Higgs and her husband Melvin, live and run a small hotel called Buklan Baru on Lombok's Senggigi Beach tourist strip. She was arrested in February following a tip-off about drug use from the "local community" and prosecutors allege a search of her home uncovered about 50g of marijuana and a soft drink can with which to smoke it.

Higgs faces three charges, the most serious of which encompasses import, export, sell, distribute and other matters and carries death, life or 20 years in jail. The second charge of possession carries a 10-year maximum jail term and the third charge, of using narcotics for herself, carries a four-year maximum.

She arrived at Mataram District Court shielding her face and head with a black headscarf, in reflection of the days Australian model Michelle Leslie appeared in a Bali courtroom on drugs charges wearing a headscarf. Ushered through the media scrum, her husband could not hide his disgust, saying "this is a joke".

Looking perplexed at Higg's plea to be allowed to continue wearing sunglasses and to cover her face with a copy of the indictment or charges against her, the judges, keen to get the case started, finally agreed. Speaking in Indonesian, Higgs, her voice trembling and hands shaking, begged chief Judge Fachrur Rozie, saying "please help me sir. I'm really sorry, I pity my family in Australia" and "please ask the journalists to get out."

Prosecutor Raharjo Yusuf told the court it was alleged that police searched Higgs' home after receiving a tip from the community. The 49.7g of marijuana was found inside a large suitcase. He said it was alleged Higgs bought the marijuana from an unknown dealer for about $70 and that her urine had tested positive to traces of marijuana. Her lawyers opted not to exercise their right to deliver a legal exception to the case and witnesses will be called when the trial resumes next week.


• Article from The Daily Telegraph, Australia

[emagdnim13]

so sad.

i can't believe laws can be so harsh around the globe. that's fucking insane.

[becauseIlikeIt]

wow.. and i just bought 2 bongs from austrailia....

also, i know its a serious thread but i have to say: $70 for 50 grams?? DAMN!

[Shouse1018]

You know, If i was that lady I would want all the Media Coverage I could get.

In a case like this, the media could benefit her tremendously.

[mxtoker]

Fuck yeah she can turn this shit 180 if she palyed her cards right !

ps side note im on shrooms and full of LIFE! its great im bursting w/ enrgey all i need to do is harness this shit to one productive thing and im set ima start another thread about my day! bye

[Jonsi]

It's indonesian, she can't spin that shit any which way she wanted. When you are in a country with such harsh laws as that, the government could careless what the media says... It's a very sad story, 50 fucking grams of marijuana might cost her her life... absolutely horrible. And I bet you 100% if she doesn't die, she's not getting out of jail for a long ass time.... it's very disgusting, she'll be in my thoughts.

[Chronik-Judge]

What the hell? Im going to kill them. Thats inhuman. For weed. Mother fucker..

[Desert_Toker]

I know this may sound incredibly harsh of me, but the woman should have known better than to do drugs in a place with such a harsh sentencing; especially if she's a foreigner.

I do agree that it is messed up and I think the Australian government should intervene and try to do the whole 'we'll sentence her in Aussie-land' like the States try to do.

It just shows you though, respect local laws.

[Venomous Puffer]

that is rediculous... never thought I would see the day where it came to this. A girl gets raped the guy gets out on probation in 20 years, person is driving drunk and kills a man, ruins that mans families lives, he gets out in 7 years, Some guy shoots up a house in a drive by shooting and kills a 3 year old baby, gets out in like 40 years, but if some woman smokes marijuana....she gets killed........

[wookie]

fuck that dude those people r so gay i smoke bud every day and ive never even gotten introuble thats how it should be

[NorthernLites]

LoL im checking the laws before going on any vacation

[GreenLantern420]

Originally Posted by NorthernLites

LoL im checking the laws before going on any vacation

Ditto

[collector]

probably the most illogical thing i have heard in a very long time. people seriously need to stop taking things at face value and ask themselves why a law is the way it is. then again citizens of indonesia are probably fed loads of bullshit propaganda about negative affects of weed.

[brownstain]

Wow. Talk about the government's self-proclaimed troubled youth.