Fearing Death Penalty, Russian Drug Smuggler Won’t Appeal Jail Term

Jakarta Globe, May 12, 2015

Alexandra Magnaeva, center, of Russia was arrested at Ngurah Rai International
 Airport in Bali when trying to smuggle over 2 kilograms of methamphetamine
into the country. (AFP Photo/Sonny Tumbelaka)

Jakarta. A Russian woman who was sentenced on Monday to more than 16 years in jail by the Denpasar District Court for attempting to smuggle 2.1 kilograms of methamphetamine into Indonesia won’t appeal because she might be sentenced to death.

Alexandra Magnaeva was sentenced to 16 years and six months in prison and given a total fine of Rp 10 billion  ($757,000).

Heru Purwanto, who represents Magnaeva, said his client had admitted to her crime and would not appeal the verdict, for fear she could face the firing squad.

“She accepts the verdict,” Heru said on Tuesday, as quoted by news portal Kompas.com. “She is afraid that if she appeals she could end up getting a more severe punishment. She’s a foreigner, she’s afraid she would get the death penalty.”

Custom officials at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport arrested Maganaeva, who was reportedly behaving suspiciously, shortly after disembarking her flight from Hong Kong in December last year.

Indonesia has been put under the international spotlight in recent months after the execution drug convicts — mostly foreign nationals — with a number still waiting on death row.

In late April, the government executed eight drug convicts, including seven foreigners. The execution was the second round after the first was conducted in January when six other foreigners were killed for drug offenses.

Philippines national Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso and Frenchman Serge Atlaoui were granted temporary reprieves.