Govt accused of exporting death penalty

"[Australia] A civil libertarian wants the Federal Government to clarify its position on the death penalty after nine Australians were arrested in Bali for heroin smuggling.

"Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman says it appears they were about to board a plane to Australia when they were arrested.

"Mr O'Gorman says he cannot understand why the Australian Federal Police (AFP) passed information to Indonesian authorities rather than waiting to make the arrest themselves.

"He says then they could have faced the Australian justice system ...

"'They have been arrested in Indonesia where they will be executed,' he said.

"'If we're in effect exporting the death penalty of Australians to other countries and if there has in effect, been a change in Government policy, then let's hear about it.'"
Source: ABC News

[I am flabbergasted that the Australian government has allowed this to happen and that the Leader of the Opposition, Labor leader Kim 'Bomber' Beazley, is going along with it. Once we had a Labor Party that strenuously opposed the death penalty. In fact, once we had a Labor Party.]