Romano-Germanic Empire wrote:I totally agree. Every single one of those prisoners had reformed. When they were arrested they definitely deserved their sentence. However, things change over 10 years and by now they had become upstanding members of society. One of them even took up painting! They definitely didn't deserve to die. On top of that the defendant from Brazil belonged in a mental institution not death row because he clearly had schizophrenia (he kept rambling about angels and whatnot).
While I am against the death penalty for smuggling, or just about everything, what proof is there that these "prisoners had reformed" or have "become upstanding members of society?
Honestly, the only thing I really care about is if these people executed, and others waiting to be, had a fair trial. Yeah, "primitive laws" maybe but it isn't like the government is making laws up as it goes, these people knew the risks. Of course, I also believe Australia has as much right to protest if it wants (though expelling Indonesians as suggested by someone is stupid on multiple levels), with some reasonable limits like not invading the nation, but in the end it is a decision to be made by Indonesia, perhaps with Australian pressure or not.
Though I feel the best way to get change is to use propaganda to convince the Indonesian people that the death penalty, especially for drug smuggling, is "barbaric" enough that the people demand change till the government meets the demands.