To think that executing drug smugglers is not necessary

[Krystalcastles]

They deserve prison time, absolutely, but I think execution over it is a step too far.
I’ve been reading about the grandmother Lindsay Sandiford who has been sentenced to the death penalty despite others involved being released already. She has no set execution date but has lost several appeals.
Indonesia sent two young Australian males to the firing squad after keeping them on death row for 10 years. Why keep somebody on death row for so long if you’re just going to execute them.

I do not think they deserved to be executed, even if they did deserve prison time.

I disagree with death penalty for all crimes.

But how fucking stupid are you to smuggle drugs to a country with the death penalty for it

I disagree with the death penalty in all circumstances.

I agree, incredibly stupid. I don’t understand why this elderly woman is given the worst sentence whilst the others were released, maybe some bribery involved

@araiwa

I disagree with death penalty for all crimes.

But how fucking stupid are you to smuggle drugs to a country with the death penalty for it

YANBU. This but I always worry someone could plant them on you like happened in Brookside.

Made me sick reading how they had to say a final goodbye to their families knowing they would be shot the next day at the age of 34

Well no, of course they don't deserve to die. Like PP said though, it's a stupid risk to take. They knew the penalty and it still didn't deter them. Must be fucking awful for their families too.

dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby Yes, that has been a worry of mine too, not sure how regular occurrence it is but it's always stuck with me. It must be awful.

How many lives have been ruined or ended through the thoughtless actions of tourist smugglers- even if they were not doing it as a business. Money from drug smuggling funds human trafficking, weapons and terrorism, destroying many, many lives.

I do not support the death penalty, but totally understand why it is used.

I disagree with the death penalty in all instances. The risk she took was absolutely insane! I get anxious over carrying nurofen to France!

I dont agree. Think of the thousands and thousands dead from drugs. The thousands of lives ruined.
If they choose to get involved in making/dealing/smuggling drugs then shoot the lot of them.

Is it effective as a deterrent?

I disagree with the death penalty full stop.

I don't know any details of the case but in drug smuggling there is often coercion and/or naivety.

Anyone see that episode of Banged Up Abroad where a guy travelling to South America had drugs put in a false panel in his suitcase by a travel partner? And there was another where someone in, I think, Thailand, got 99 years for drug smuggling. Not much better than a death penalty really.

I dont actually mean that I dont think.
I've always been quite vocal about being against the death penalty. The threads on here about Wayne Couzens and the death penalty got quite in depth about what posters wanted done to him. And I argued against it because it's not who we are as a country and it isnt a deterrent.
But when I think about what drugs have done to people all over the world. It is such a blight. It's very very hard not to think "just shoot them all" because every one of those drug smugglers would have affected thousands with the product they were carrying.

Don’t agree with the death penalty but countries have the right to impose their chosen laws. There are places in Indonesia where people are publicly whipped for infidelity, I think as a sharia practice.

Never said better than by Lynda Day in 'Press Gang': "Okay, it's like this. There's a tribe living by a river, and in the river there are crocodiles. The tribe has one particular piece of wisdom passed down through the generations. It goes like this: if you happen to meet a crocodile, don't stick your head in its mouth. Every now and then - and who knows the reason - people ignore this advice. Which is sad. Because they die. But very stupid because they were warned. They had a choice. The moral of the story is this: you can't afford to be stupid. There are crocodiles."

And I speak as someone utterly opposed to the death penalty, for all and any crime, for all and every criminal. And I understand the desperation of some of these people. But fuck me! I wouldn't pass through customs in some of these countries, if I was 100% bolted-on certain that I wasn't carrying drugs.

I don’t agree with the death penalty, I also believe people should be jailed for their full sentence

That said each country has the right to make its own laws. You chose to break them you accept the penalty

And I also believe drug smugglers are murderers, thousand die a year from drug abuse

I disagree with the death penalty.

I wonder how desperate the drug mules must be to take that kind of risk. Also, some are tricked into carrying drugs.

I don’t think it justifies the death penalty but I can’t find it in me to be overly sympathetic to people who choose to smuggle drugs into countries where doing so is punished so severely

If you commit an offence in a country where the punishment is death - it shouldn't come as a surprise when you are found guilty that you will face execution. No sympathy.

I hadn't been aware of the 2 Australian men executed. Going to google it. I'm surprised the Australian government didn't apply some serious diplomatic pressure to stop it.

I don't think executing drug mules is the answer. Drug mules are generally the pond life of the drugs chain usually poor or trafficked drug addicts themselves. Or coerced by their dealer boyfriends. Executing them has zero impact on the drugs trade.

However. the ones at the top of the drugs chain....

@Cattenberg

The two young Australian men the OP talks about were the ring leaders. They were the ones who planned it and dragged the others into it. So in there case, they weren't being forced or exploited. They were doing the exploiting.

@THisbackwithavengeance

They weren't drugs mules. They were the ring leaders.

Indonesia doesn't really bend to the will of other countries on this. Wasnt must Australia could do and there is very very little sympathy for people involved in drugs so no Government is going to seriously stick their neck out to bring them home. Judicial procedures in the country they committed the crime were followed. They stay on death row for a decade because they are allowed appeals and all the rest of it. Sometimes people are let go.

You've got more chance bribing your way out than relying on your home government to get you out

@ImUninsultable

I dont agree. Think of the thousands and thousands dead from drugs. The thousands of lives ruined. If they choose to get involved in making/dealing/smuggling drugs then shoot the lot of them.

I disagree. DD is not the worst crime the real issue is from the GOV point of view is they cannot tax that money being made.

Mean while the poor get poorer and real issue get by passed.

@GinIronic

If you commit an offence in a country where the punishment is death - it shouldn't come as a surprise when you are found guilty that you will face execution. No sympathy.

This. ^

@Krystalcastles

I say YABU. Although I agree that the death sentence is severe for drug offences, I have to agree with a pp that they really shouldn't have smuggled drugs into a country where the penalty for drug smuggling is the death sentence!

My sympathy goes out to their family.......... Not them.