To Kill Her Or To Leaver Her: Filipina Mother Still Unsure Of Her Fate
As the international pressure mounts ahead of the execution of many foreigners in Indonesia on Wednesday, a Northern Territory lawyer suggested the Filipina on the death row could be a victim of human trafficking, and making final attempts to help save her life.
Meanwhile, reports revealed that the alleged recruiter of Mary Jane Veloso, Maria Kristina Sergio "voluntarily surrendered" to Nueva Ecija police on April 28. The barrister, Felicity Gerry QC is assisting Ms. Veloso’s legal team also works in NT and London.
Ms. Veloso is scheduled to be executed in the prison island of Nusakambangan, Indonesia along with other drug smugglers, including Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran from Australia. With 72-hour notice from the authorities, the convicts could be taken to face the firing squad anytime after Tuesday night, however, the timing of the execution has been decided yet.
30-year-old Ms. Veloso was arrested at Java's International Airport in April 2010 after authorities discovered heroin in her luggage, she was later sentenced to death for attempting to smuggle drugs into Indonesia from Malaysia. However, Ms. Veloso maintained that she was tricked into carrying the luggage containing questionable items.
The barrister said convincing evidence suggested Ms. Veloso was a victim of human trafficking, as defined by Indonesian law. "The evidence in Mary Jane's case appears to be credible that she was not acting voluntarily, she was acting on behalf of other people who were exploiting her," Ms. Gerry said. "As a victim of human trafficking under Indonesian law, there is mandatory protection. Indonesia actually has very progressive law to protect victims of human trafficking."
Ms. Veloso is the only woman in the current batch of convicts to be facing the firing squad reportedly on Wednesday.
Though Indonesian President Joko Widodo said he was ready to consult with the attorney-general on legal issues regarding Veloso's case, fear of death still looms over her as the clock ticks down.
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