Did The Judge Do The Right Thing Here?

[DangerUXD]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
I hope it was done for the right reasons rather than preempting what is now likely to happen, ie the British establishment having to some sort of deal to save this awful woman. She gave up her associates and did a deal, it seems the judge had other ideas! I hope for once we do nothing at all rather than having the PM bleating on the news like Major did for Patricia Cahill back in the 90's.

[rockyracoon]

I'm a fence sitter when it comes to the death penalty but, when in Rome and all that. If she did do a deal to avoid the death penalty then others are not going to be ready to fess up in future are they.

[emmie]

i am no advocate for the death penalty, however their country, their rules.

[naomi24]

Stupid woman!

[Baldric]

Agree with em, their country, their rules.

[emmie]

any worse than the drug mules who come here, having swallowed packs of condoms laden with class a drugs, the damn things burst, game over.
it's a dangerous and vile business. any one getting involved in it needs their head examining.

[NOX]

Personally I am anti death penalty, and if she did indeed do a deal to avoid the death penalty then the court has done the police no favours as their credibility is completely shot now and they will obtain zero co-operation from anyone. I don't know if her family really were in danger or not, but I suggest if they were then an awful lot of people on here would do exactly the same as she did, but it's easy to say otherwise when not faced with the reality.

[jake-the-peg]

Their country their rules?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/31/sudanese-woman-stoning-death-adultery

[Rosie29]

I'm not condoning drug running and,yes," their country their rules". But this was a vulnerable woman who had mental health problems and was therefore preyed upon because of this. She was threatened with harm to her children/grandchildren and, after her arrest, was interrogated in broken English and encouraged to sign documents which were in a language that she didn't understand. I think I'm right in saying she had no assistance from the British Embassy. She was "stupid" but I'm just thinking of the affair from another point of view.

[emmie]

in pretty much the same way if people live in Britain we should all abide by the laws, if you don't then expect to be punished.

The link you provide is to a backwards mediaeval society, country, who have long treated their women this way, what would suggest we could do, other than protest wholeheartedly.

[emmie]

how does anyone know she has mental health problems. I know plenty who do by the way.

[NOX]

I think the point Jake was making Em, was that you stated ' their country , their rules' as though that is an excuse for the death sentence. Stoning is legal in Sudan, but should we go alone with either?

[jake-the-peg]

My point is that you can't say "their country their rules" in one case and then say "backward medieval society" in another.

Either you agree with trying to bring other countries to a common view of criminal justice or you take the view that you don't interfere.

[Duncer]

"She was threatened with harm to her children/grandchildren",

....or so she alleges?

[Rosie29]

My source, em10, is a spokeswoman from an organisation who has been in close touch with her. The interview was on PM on R4.

[emmie]

in case you didn't notice, i said that i don't agree with the death penalty, and other said the same

Nor do i agree with the stoning of women, it's barbaric.

[naomi24]

Nox and Jake, //should we go alone [sic] with either?//

I don’t think Em is going along with either. She’s already said she’s no advocate of the death penalty. She has, however, stated that this is the law in those particular countries, which is true, and she’s asked what we can do other than protest wholeheartedly. I have no idea what we can do. What can we do?

Duncer, I didn’t understand that either.

[friedgreentomato]

Stupid women I don't believe she was blackmailed into it.

[emmie]

there is lots of differing information on this case, one report says one thing, another contradicts it. It's very hard to make an informed judgement on her mental health status, whether her family were in danger, or indeed whether this will go to appeal, which seems likely, and she ends up back here in UK, or spends time in jail there.

[joeluke]

No sympathy.....play with fire and you get burnt

[TWR]

What could happen to the people if the drugs she carried got out? die, would that not be termed as a death sentence, she could have gone to the police if she or her family had been threatened.