English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Post by **vlad** » May 2, 2009, 9:47 pm

I tried to post this on the map but i dont know how to. A 20yr old is facing a firing squad in Laos for drug smugleing she has been in prison a year now and to make matters worse she has fell pregnant in jail. Any of you here of this??.

Post by **BobHelm** » May 2, 2009, 10:37 pm

Would appear to be true vlad....but I have not heard about it before you mentioned it...
http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/new ... n_Laos.php
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World- ... ling_Drugs_
http://www.newstin.com/related.a?editio ... rFilter=UK

Post by **arjay** » May 2, 2009, 11:36 pm

I've read the various reports on the links Bob has given. That is very worrying and an indication of how things are in some countries of the world. By that I mean lacking in human rights. That isn't the first story I have heard involving foreigners being arrested and imprisoned in Laos.

Clearly this girl should be entitled to legal representation and her government or nearest British Embassy should have been notified promptly of her arrest and resultant charges.

Without wishing to stir other pots, knowing how robustly vocal our member Rufus is over injustices and political & governmental issues in Thailand, and how insistent he is that such matters should be vigorously and publicly aired, it is disappointing to note how very quiet he remains on the very obvious shortcomings and injustices in Laos where he lives.

I hope he will be adding his voice to that of others expressing their concerns over Samantha Orobator's situation.

Post by **arjay** » May 2, 2009, 11:52 pm

A fuller report from the Mail online:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... l?ITO=1490

Death penalty fears for pregnant Briton in Laos prison on drugs charges

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 2:58 PM on 02nd May 2009

Samantha Orobator

On trial: Pregnant Briton Samantha Orobator, 20, could be put to death if she is found guilty of drugs charges at a 'hastily arranged' hearing next week

The Foreign Office today said it was working to ensure lawyers have access to a pregnant Briton who faces death by firing squad in Laos, after legal campaigners said British authorities were not acting quickly enough.

Samantha Orobator, 20, faces execution if she is found guilty at a 'hastily arranged' trial in Laos next week, a legal charity said today.

She was arrested at Wattay Airport in Laos in August last year allegedly in possession of 600g heroin after a holiday in Thailand and the Netherlands.

Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell said: 'We are also providing consular assistance to Samantha, in particular to help ensure that she has good legal representation.

'We are paying close attention to her welfare and are in regular contact with the Laotian authorities about her case.'

Rammell said British embassy officials have visited her six times since her arrest and Australian embassy officials have also visited her 10 times.

There is no British embassy in Laos and the nearest is in Thailand.

Mr Rammell said he will be raising the case with the Laotian deputy prime minister when they meet in the UK on Thursday.

But Reprieve director Clive Stafford Smith said: 'That's not much good. The trial will be over by then.'

He said her trial had been brought forward by a year in an apparent attempt to stop her seeing a lawyer.

The decision to move the trial was announced after arrangements were made for Orobator to see a lawyer on Tuesday.

'It's pretty shocking that they would do that apparently to avoid her seeing a British lawyer before she has to go to trial,' Mr Stafford Smith said

'The notion that no lawyer should be appointed to defend her is outrageous.'

He called for the Government to immediately do everything in its power to have the trial put back.

And he questioned how Orobator, who is due to give birth in September, could have become pregnant while in jail.

She has been held since her arrest at the notorious Phonthong prison, where inmates have complained of being beaten and abused.

Ronke Oseni, 21, a psychology student at Kingston University, said she only found out about her friend's situation on Wednesday.

She said: 'There is no-one there to visit her, no-one to talk to, and she doesn't speak the language.

'I'm really scared for her. I can't even imagine what she's going through.

'The punishment does not fit the crime. They want to shoot her but what about the baby?

She said her friend had planned to become a medical doctor and was a good student who was not involved in drugs.

Miss Orobator, who was born in Nigeria but has lived in South London since she was eight years old and is a British citizen, became pregnant in the prison in December.

She has not spoken to a lawyer since her arrest and campaigners for her release say they do not know the circumstances of her pregnancy.

Reprieve claims Miss Orobator's trial next week has been arranged at short notice making it impossible for a lawyer to prepare an adequate defence.

If she is convicted she faces death by firing squad.

A spokesman for Reprieve said: 'Samantha is severely distressed, and we have grave concerns for her health and that of her unborn child.

'Samantha was arrested in Laos with 0.6kg of heroin. This is a comparatively small amount, but exceeds the statutory minimum for the death penalty in Laos.

'There is no evidence that she was anything more than a mule.'

It is believed she was returning to the UK from Thailand via Laos when she was arrested at the airport, although Reprieve has been unable to confirm this. She had also visited Holland.

Mr Stafford Smith said the Laotian government's 'excuse' for not informing the UK authorities was apparently that it did not have a fax machine.

The FCO found out "by coincidence" when the Australians passed on information from another inmate in Phonthong prison.

He said British representatives are only allowed to visit her for 20 minutes once a month with a guard present.

In the prison, cells measuring four square metres are used to house up to six prisoners.

The daily ration reportedly consists of two bowls of pig fat water soup and 18oz (500g) of sticky rice, and most prisoners rely on their families to deliver food.

Other prisoners have reported incidents of abuse and torture, with some inmates having their genitals burnt.

Since 2003 at least 39 people have been sentenced to death in the east Asian country

Post by **arjay** » May 3, 2009, 12:01 am

And it's reached the BBC News now:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8029787.stm

Post by **vlad** » May 3, 2009, 2:54 am

Sad though it is if she was a courier like all others she is aware of the risks being a girl might have made her think she could get away with it, but if you do the crime unfortunatly you got to do the time Arjay. Poor excuse for them saying they didnt have a fax machine to contact the British embassy.

Post by **ULICK MC GEE** » May 3, 2009, 5:18 am

Laos is one of many countries where the inmates families are responcible for food and medical supplies,frang either consoul or red cross.
they will leave you starve

Post by **jingjai** » May 3, 2009, 10:27 am

She was arrested at Wattay Airport in Laos in August last year allegedly in possession of 600g heroin after a holiday in Thailand and the Netherlands...
'Samantha was arrested in Laos with 0.6kg of heroin. This is a comparatively small amount, but exceeds the statutory minimum for the death penalty in Laos.
'There is no evidence that she was anything more than a mule.', but exceeds the statuatory minimum for the death penalty in Laos.

Think about this:
The heroin from this part of the world is relatively pure. Most probably a minimum 97% pure grade A Heroin.

600 grams of the grade of Heroin sold in South East Asia could and would be cut 3-5 times to be sold in London or Amsterdam. So that "comparatively small amount" will be turned into anywhere from 1800 to 3000 grams of Heroin in London or Amsterdam...and that still would leave a very strong product open to further cutting of the product by the nickel and dime street dealers of London or wherever the products end up.

Only a little food for thought

.

Post by **seymourbutts** » May 3, 2009, 11:21 am

if it was a guy from London who'd been raped by the guards you would all be saying tuff titty.... He knew the risks in this part of the world for dealing drugs... The death sentence is what happens there maybe she should have checked before she decided to carry these drugs for whatever reason!!!

Ok look at it this way, she was caught at the airport with 600gm drugs. ok no dispute... but unlike the namby pamby western justice system where she will be found guilty and then appeal and appeal etc etc and maybe 10 years later after thousnads and thousands of dollars of taxpayers money have been spent she may be executed. The Loas have got it sorted, she will be dead before any more dollars are spent tying up the legal system for what really is a guilty person who deserves the punishment she will be getting!!!

And really if there was any doubt of innocence i believe the british embassy would have made a protest by now..

I understand she was caught "red handed" and said "theyre not mine" bet there would be hers if she got them to London suddenly!!!!!!!

Post by **ULICK MC GEE** » May 3, 2009, 11:47 am

"I can resist everything,except temptation" Oscar Wilde

Post by **Aardvark** » May 3, 2009, 3:20 pm

Regardless of what you think of drugs or the people who traffic them, everyone deserves to be properly represented in a court of Law. The fact that this Girl was imprisoned and her Govt not informed is a crime under International Law. If indeed she was impregnated while in custody this also is a crime under international Law, and the Govt of Laos has a lot to answer for. And for those of you who just accept her guilt on the basis of a Govt statement, shame on you

there is enough evidence from around the World of people being killed in the name of Justice only to be found innocent when its far too late. To any of you who have Children of your own I hope one of them never Fcuks up and is left to be judged by you or people like you

Post by **saint** » May 3, 2009, 3:28 pm

personaly i would prefer she gets life in a loas jail with no release to finish her sentance abroad !!!!! and if the jails are as bad as believed , with luck she would starve to death , something much more painful and prolonged than a sissy bullit in the head . i dont know because ive led a charmed life , but i would imagine real hunger pains would be similar to the cramps a junkie goes through without his fix . much more appropriate in my view .

Post by **Aardvark** » May 3, 2009, 3:36 pm

Good onya Saint Judge, Jury and executioner after reading a press release, what a sicko =D> =D>

Post by **seymourbutts** » May 3, 2009, 4:08 pm

Aardvark wrote:Regardless of what you think of drugs or the people who traffic them, everyone deserves to be properly represented in a court of Law. The fact that this Girl was imprisoned and her Govt not informed is a crime under International Law. If indeed she was impregnated while in custody this also is a crime under international Law, and the Govt of Laos has a lot to answer for. And for those of you who just accept her guilt on the basis of a Govt statement, shame on you there is enough evidence from around the World of people being killed in the name of Justice only to be found innocent when its far too late. To any of you who have Children of your own I hope one of them never Fcuks up and is left to be judged by you or people like you

I just hope any of my children never get given or sold the ---- she was trying to smuggle!!! She doesnt give a **** about the consequences of her actions so i dont give a **** about her pc rights.... Tell that to parents who have lost kids through scum like this!!!! The quicker she is tried and found guilty under laos law the better.... over and done.... Nobody moaned when taxin was doing the same!!!! except they never had the luxury of going to jail and getting a trial first... They were shot on the spot!!!! She is evil, whatever innocence she professes, she is evil and a lot of kids could be exposed to her trade and a lot of old grannies will get mugged topay for it etc etc etc
How is her being impregnated a crime under international law???? is it breaking an international law to have sex in prison???? her govt have been informed and rightly are letting the laos govt deal with it...Only people trying to help her are the pc brigade!!!!! "shes innocent because she said they were not her drugs" lets have an international investigation"!!!!!! Bullsh1t!!!! if she opened her bag in lets say LOndon and found the heroin would she a> hand it in to the nearest police station as it wasnt hers? or B. Make a shed load of money for delivering the stuff to her contacts???? mmmm I wonder!!!!!

Do you have any idea how much 600gms of heroin costs???/ a ---- load of money for sure!!! i would agree that it probably isnt hers she is a mule, however she was caught with it!! Thats breaking international law!!! And in loas it carries a death sentence. Maybe Laos dont have the pristine pc justice system we have but it must be respected in Laos... She is not on trial in London!!!She has probably been followed for a long time and it was decided to grab her in Laos !!!

Post by **BKKSTAN** » May 3, 2009, 4:18 pm

seymourbutts wrote:
Aardvark wrote:Regardless of what you think of drugs or the people who traffic them, everyone deserves to be properly represented in a court of Law. The fact that this Girl was imprisoned and her Govt not informed is a crime under International Law. If indeed she was impregnated while in custody this also is a crime under international Law, and the Govt of Laos has a lot to answer for. And for those of you who just accept her guilt on the basis of a Govt statement, shame on you there is enough evidence from around the World of people being killed in the name of Justice only to be found innocent when its far too late. To any of you who have Children of your own I hope one of them never Fcuks up and is left to be judged by you or people like you

I just hope any of my children never get given or sold the ---- she was trying to smuggle!!! She doesnt give a **** about the consequences of her actions so i dont give a **** about her pc rights.... Tell that to parents who have lost kids through scum like this!!!! The quicker she is tried and found guilty under laos law the better.... over and done.... Nobody moaned when taxin was doing the same!!!! except they never had the luxury of going to jail and getting a trial first... They were shot on the spot!!!! She is evil, whatever innocence she professes, she is evil and a lot of kids could be exposed to her trade and a lot of old grannies will get mugged topay for it etc etc etc
How is her being impregnated a crime under international law???? is it breaking an international law to have sex in prison???? her govt have been informed and rightly are letting the laos govt deal with it...Only people trying to help her are the pc brigade!!!!! "shes innocent because she said they were not her drugs" lets have an international investigation"!!!!!! Bullsh1t!!!! if she opened her bag in lets say LOndon and found the heroin would she a> hand it in to the nearest police station as it wasnt hers? or B. Make a shed load of money for delivering the stuff to her contacts???? mmmm I wonder!!!!!

Do you have any idea how much 600gms of heroin costs???/ a ---- load of money for sure!!! i would agree that it probably isnt hers she is a mule, however she was caught with it!! Thats breaking international law!!! And in loas it carries a death sentence. Maybe Laos dont have the pristine pc justice system we have but it must be respected in Laos... She is not on trial in London!!!She has probably been followed for a long time and it was decided to grab her in Laos !!!

I certainly agree that if she is guilty,she deserves her punishment,but I would like to see that she has been justly proven guilty before casting her adrift.

Post by **Khun Paul** » May 3, 2009, 4:24 pm

Whatever she has done it is obvious reading all the news articles they have brought the trial forward to possibly avoid problems should she give birth, immaculate conception it isn't and I am sure someone somewhere is using their authority to avoid awkward questions should she survive.
Quick trial shot story ends parents will get box of ashes, damm all our embassy here in Thailand can do about it.
If we had embassy in laos maybe but we don't and most people know drugs equals death in SE asia. 00% of the time

Post by **jackspratt** » May 3, 2009, 4:36 pm

Yes, Udon Map certainly has it's fair (sic) share of paid up members of the "Hang 'Em High Club".

Lets have none of this "namby pamby" stuff system where justice is represented by access to lawyers, and appeals. Except of course, if it is me, or a close family member is is subject to the court system - in whatever country.

Was she caught at the airport? Then take her out the back, and bullet in the head I say. Let's not waste the community's time or money on a farcical trial for this kind of scum.

Of course the law enforcement people and the courts are never wrong - if you are charged, you must be guilty.

Post by **arjay** » May 3, 2009, 4:55 pm

Aardvark wrote:Regardless of what you think of drugs or the people who traffic them, everyone deserves to be properly represented in a court of Law. The fact that this Girl was imprisoned and her Govt not informed is a crime under International Law. If indeed she was impregnated while in custody this also is a crime under international Law, and the Govt of Laos has a lot to answer for. And for those of you who just accept her guilt on the basis of a Govt statement, shame on you there is enough evidence from around the World of people being killed in the name of Justice only to be found innocent when its far too late. To any of you who have Children of your own I hope one of them never Fcuks up and is left to be judged by you or people like you

Absolutely. She's innocent until proven guilty, and she has a right to be legally represented/defended by a lawyer who can speak the local language. Her government should have been advised and a lawyer found to represent/defend her.

It may be unlikely, but they could have arrested the wrong person. It may not have been her bag. It could have been planted on her, etc, etc. How would you feel if it turned out to be a family member of yours and they had arrested the wrong person? She has a right to have someone defend her and explain her side of the story, before you all execute her!!

Post by **beer monkey** » May 3, 2009, 5:30 pm

Got to be more to this than meets the eye......her 'friend' only found out on Wednesday, yet she got caught in August 2008...!!!! fell pregnant in December whilst inside, i hate to say it but did anyone think it was on purpose so the authoritys would take a lighter view if it was young 'woman with baby'..just a thought as all avenues have got to be looked at so don't jump on me ,..also didn't her friend miss her...didn't her family know she didn't come home, was no one worried...was she travelling alone, a single young girl, Holland,Thailand, into Laos (note the spelling) then planned to come back home,,,this didn't happen last week, it happened in August, agreed a fair trial with good representation is any ones right, will it happen ..? in some countries i doubt it, sure the Embassy's are doing more than whats been printed, or at least i would like to think so., a mule in Asia or anywhere in the world, must be dumb...not sure she would of made it to be a Doctor...Doctors have more Brains., would like the full story, but this is all we got for now.

Post by **ULICK MC GEE** » May 3, 2009, 6:08 pm

The System.
When i first started visa's run's to laos ,about 14 month's ago,every tuk tuk driver the same."Where you go,you want lady and finally the one you wanted,anything else,you ask what "ganga" was the reply.
Over the last 3 visa run's i noticed a shift towards class A drugs on offer."you want opium,ya ba and in a really low whisper HEROIN.
Whoever has sancitioned the sale of personal use class a,so.Giles on his gap year has something to horray about when he get's home.
Reality ,in a stoned stupor an idea is hatched normally 1/2 kg,which your new best friend can supply and then duly informs the police who use the moment to show the world their war against drug's,you are the scapegoat,the tuk tuk driver sell personal amount's with immuneity until the next idea is hatched.
Nothing new here has being going on for ever

English girl facing firing squad in Laos

English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos

Re: English girl facing firing squad in Laos