Justice and fairness for Lindsay Sandiford

Lindsay Sandiford’s sister Hilary Parsons writes:

My sister Lindsay needs your help today. Without it, she may soon be executed by firing squad in Indonesia.

Lindsay is 58 years old and became a grandmother for the first time not long after her arrest. She has no previous criminal convictions.

When she entered Indonesia, Lindsay co-operated fully with the Indonesian authorities. She assisted in creating a police sting which helped secure the arrest of four people high up the drugs syndicate. She did what the Bali police asked despite the risks to her own safety.

When she was taken to court she asked for legal help from the British Government but instead they watched her struggle as a litigant in person in serious legal proceedings without proper translation or legal representation.

The UK and Indonesia both have laws relating to protection for people who are coerced to commit crime. Lindsay did not know the law and was not able to properly present her case on her own without a lawyer.

She was convicted in what is obviously a miscarriage of justice and sentenced to death while the syndicate members whom Lindsay helped the police to convict, received jail terms of one to six years. The prosecutor in the trial broke down in tears when the judge handed down her sentence because of the unfairness of this punishment.

The British Government is still refusing to fund Lindsay’s fight against the death penalty, despite a recommendation from the Supreme Court in London that it should do so. As a result, she has no proper legal representation to help present her judicial review – her last chance for her case to be heard in the Supreme Court of Indonesia.

Lindsay deserves to have her case reviewed in the Indonesian courts with papers prepared by a competent Indonesian capital lawyer. She has a good case which could hopefully see her sentence commuted.

Today, I am launching a fund to allow her to exercise her legal right and seek a final appeal to re-examine her case with expert help.

Lindsay’s life depends upon it. If you believe in justice and fairness, please donate today.