public must accept asian drug penalties

The Indonesian Ambassador says he hopes the public will not react too emotionally if the nine Australians currently held in Bali on heroin trafficking charges are sentenced to death.

Hamzah Thayeb says the Indonesian Government has made it clear that those caught carrying drugs will receive harsh penalties.

He says Australians must must learn to accept the legal ramifications of drug trafficking in Asia, particularly after the execution in Singapore of convicted drug smuggler Van Nguyen.

"I hope after the latest event involving one Australian citizen they will already understand that those are the laws in our countries, so I hope they will understand and not react too emotionally," he said.

ABC Online