Drug mule Renae Lawrence says sorry

possum · 04-28-2006, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Drug mule Renae Lawrence says sorry
From: AAP
April 28, 2006
CONVICTED Bali Nine drug courier Renae Lawrence has apologised to the Australian public if she disgraced the nation, but said they would have done the same if in the same situation.

Indonesia's highest court yesterday reduced to 20 years the life sentences for Lawrence and fellow Bali Nine smugglers Michael Czugaj and the so-called Melasti Hotel three - Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Si Yi Chen and Matthew Norman.
But the mood of leniency did not extend to former Wollongong barman Martin Stephens, who was the only Nine member to have his appeal rejected and his life sentence upheld.

Lawrence said today she was relieved with the reduction in her sentence but was unhappy that her friend Stephens did not have his sentence reduced.

"With the life I was devastated," she told ABC radio.

"It's a relief, I'm glad it didn't go up, but as I said, I feel for Martin.

"He's not very happy with it, which is understandable.
"I mean I don't (feel) happy with that sentence, it should never have happened."

Lawrence maintains she was forced into being a drug courier after her family was threatened.

Although she was sorry if her behaviour caused disgrace to Australia, she believed others would have done the same if in that predicament.

"I apologise to the Australian public if I've disgraced Australia or anything else. But I think as I said ... they would have done exactly as I did if put in the same situation."

She said she was learning to survive in prison by reading and learning Indonesian.

"Well it's alright, not the best, but you learn to live with it," she said.

"Just reading, learning the language."

Lawrence said she felt she was not supported by the Australian Government, but would not go into details.

"No," she said when asked if the Government supported her.

"I prefer not to go into the government side of it."

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have been given the death penalty for their role in the drug smuggling operation.

Lawrence, along with Rush, Stephens and Czugaj, was arrested at Bali's Ngurah Rai airport on May 17 last year carrying blocks of heroin strapped to her body.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18955986-2,00.html