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http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12787965-2,00.html

Government issues SOS: Save Our Schapelle
By Cindy Wockner
April 08, 2005

ACCUSED drug smuggler Schapelle Corby could escape the death penalty and serve any prison sentence in Australia following a spate of last-ditch diplomatic moves.



Shapelle Corby [centre] with her lawyers.


Sources in Canberra last night told The Daily Telegraph they were more hopeful the 27-year-old beautician would not face a firing squad if found guilty of smuggling 4.1kg of cannabis into Bali.
Those comments came as Australian Justice Minister Chris Ellison travelled to Indonesia to lobby his counterpart Hamid Awaluddin on Ms Corby's case.

Senator Ellison was in Jakarta to negotiate a deal opening the way for Australians who are convicted of serious offences overseas to serve their time at home.

He denied the Australian Government's lobbying was tantamount to intervening in the prosecution.

"I don't think anyone would ask us or expect us to intervene in court proceedings," he said. "That would be an inappropriate request in Australia and an inappropriate request in Indonesia."

But he confirmed he would do all he could within the bounds of the law to help Ms Corby.

Meanwhile, Vasu Rasiah, a consultant on Ms Corby's legal team, also met Senator Ellison and said: "He undertook to bring up several matters with the Indonesian minister of justice."

They included the fact Ms Corby has no drug history in Australia and that an investigation was under way into claims she may be the innocent victim of a domestic drug-smuggling ring.

Corby was back in court yesterday but was too sick for her case to be heard.

She was pale and clutched her stomach as she sat before the judges who will decide her fate.

Barely audible, Corby said: "I am really sick."

Chief Judge Linton Sirait responded by urging her to be careful. "Take care of your health, don't be stressed. If you are stressed you might get diarrhoea," he said.

Ms Corby nodded her head and was taken back to her jail cell to see a doctor.

Her sister Mercedes said afterwards: "She is not well. You can see. The past few days she has not been well at all."

Denpasar District Court had been convened yesterday to hear sentencing demands from the prosecution. Under Indonesian law, prosecutors outline the sentence they are seeking before a verdict is returned.

But a combination of paperwork delays and Ms Corby's sickness led to the case being adjourned for a week.

Earlier this week on a visit to Canberra, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promised to personally ensure Ms Corby received a fair trial.

"I will watch [the Corby case] closely to make sure justice is there," he said.

"Because justice is important to be upheld and everybody, including the people of Australia and the people of Indonesia, will watch that kind of fairness of justice."