INDONESIA - Female gets death sentence

Indonesian hands down 15th death penalty in two years for drug smuggling

An Indonesian court has sentenced a woman to death for smuggling a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of heroin into the country, local media reported Friday. 

Edith Yuntia Sianturi, 24, became the 15th defendant in 2 years to receive the death penalty for narcotics smuggling when a Tangerang District Court, near Jakarta, sentenced her on Thursday, the Jakarta Post reported.

 Indonesian law carries the maximum punishment of death in cases of murder, illegal weapons and ammunitions possession, and drug smuggling.

 The prosecutor had sought life imprisonment for Sianturi and a 100 million rupiah (10,000 dollar) fine.

 Judge Maha Nikmah said there were no mitigating factors to warrant a lighter sentence and her crime could endanger the nation's future and kill thousands of people.

 Four court officers had to carry the defendant to a waiting prison van as she became hysterical on hearing her sentence, the SCTV television news showed.

 The court was told that customs officers found three packets containing a kilogram of pure heroin in Sianturi's purse when she flew into Jakarta from a week-long trip to Thailand.

 The other 14 defendants on death row include 3 Indonesians, 4 Nigerians, 5 Nepalese, a Pakistani, and a Zimbabwean.

None have been executed so far.