Schapelle Corby, Indonesia's attack on free speech?

From the news.com.au article:

Deal or no deal: Schapelle Corby under fire as Mercedes denies interview payment from Seven

Mercedes Corby says recent reports of her sister Schapelle being paid megabucks for an interview are false and slammed the Newman Govt for investing in the 'Schapelle' mini-series.

SCHAPELLE Corby has been warned by Indonesia’s Deputy Justice Minister not to conduct a tell-all interview or face having her parole revoked. 

Speaking in Bali late last night Denny Indrayana said any interview could cause unease in the community which could be a breach of her parole.

And he said he was echoing the thoughts of the Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin, with whom he has discussed the matter, and the Minister agreed there should be no interview.

They are the strongest comments yet from the Indonesian Government about a growing domestic controversy over Corby’s parole and the fact that she could be ready to conduct a paid television interview while holed up in a luxury Seminyak villa.

Controversy ... Schapelle Corby has come under fire for her decision to sell her story to Seven. 

 

And the head of Bali’s parole board, Ketut Artha, said his team will convey the Minister’s message to Corby and her family today and will suggest they move out of the villa and the spotlight.

Mr Indrayana, who visited Bali yesterday, said that while Corby was free to speak, if any interview caused unease that could be a breach of her parole.

“Because the interview could cause a polemic, and it can cause unease in the community, as stipulate in the parole rule. If it happened, the parole possibly could be revoked,” Mr Indrayana said.

“So, rather than it cause a problem, we give advice to not do the interview. Because she is release with conditions … there are many rules have to be obeyed.”

Asked if he was banning her from doing any television interview, Mr Indrayana said Corby should remember the terms of her parole.

“I am sure there will be a debate. It is part of her freedom to convey her opinion. But, it should be remembered, that she is released with conditions. And one of the condition to revoke parole is if she causes unease in the community,”

“If she causes unease, the parole must be revoked.”

He said this was regardless of whether she was paid or not to tell her story.

“If she decided to conduct the interview, if it uneases people, there will be a consequence.”

“I have talked to the (Justice) Minister about the news that there will be an interview (by Corby), we already agreed, and it has been conveyed to the official of correctional board that it is suggested that the interview is not conducted,” Mr Indrayana said.

Bali’s parole board chief, Mr Artha, said her residence at a luxury villa did not violate her parole but advised her to keep a low profile.

“There is actually no rule that has been violated by living at the villa. But as Corby has been in the public spotlight we suggest she does not stay at the luxury villa,” Mr Artha said.

It came as TV crews arrived at Corby’s luxury villa for her lucrative tell-all interview yesterday, Indonesian law experts also warned any money she makes while on parole could be seized under local tax laws.

Corby has attracted a growing storm of criticism since Monday over her decision to sell an exclusive interview about her nine years in Kerobokan Jail for drug smuggling.

Officials from the Prosecutions authority met on Thursday to discuss the controversy, as a Seven camera crew started shooting inside the luxury villa at Sentosa Seminyak where Corby has been staying with a security detail and family members.

SEVEN STARTS FILMING CORBY INTERVIEW
 
Meanwhile, another Australian woman fronted an Indonesian court on drugs charges. Perth woman Julie Ann Josephs, 31, faces between five and 20 years over possession of 0.9 grams of methamphetamine.

Josephs was arrested after a motorbike accident in October last year.

Perth woman Julie Ann Josephs has faced an Indonesian court on drugs charges. Source: Supplied

 

Professor Hikmahanto Juwono from the University of Indonesia law faculty said any money Corby earned on parole should be classified as non-tax state income of inmate workers and taken from her.

“Corby has no immunity from law and should not be exempted from Indonesian law,” Professor Juwono said.

He said Indonesia had a commitment to strip ill-gotten gains from corruption criminals and the same should be the case for drug convicts.

“Don’t do the opposite and make drug smugglers become rich from a dramatisation of their life during their sentence,” Professor Juwono said.

“The amount of money that should be given to the government is all of Corby’s fee, based on the agreement with the Australian media.”

No deal ... in a prerecorded statement, Mercedes Corby denied her sister was being paid $2 million for an interview with Seven. Source: Supplied

 

Parole officials contacted Corby’s brother-in-law Wayan Widyartha to ask if there was any interview and to remind him that parole officers must be present during filming. Sources say he assured them there was no interview.

Corby’s sister Mercedes has denied the family is being paid $2 million for her interview with Seven’s Sunday Night program.

“Recent media reports about payments to Schapelle for an interview are completely wrong. The sums being reported are ridiculous. When Schapelle is ready to speak the parole officers will be informed,” she said in a prerecorded statement on Thursday, before taking aim at Campbell Newman for his threat on Wednesday to try to seize any money Corby made.

Villa ... Schapelle Corby has been living in the lap of luxury at the Sentosa Seminyak resort. Source: News Limited

 

“Despite his comments, Queensland Premier Newman was so interested in this story that his Government gave $567,000 for the production of a film that the Nine Network made called Schapelle. This film was biased and inaccurate. It was based on a book where the major source was a convicted criminal.”

It is indeed likely Corby has not yet received any money for the story, with most contracts for such exclusive deals stating that no payments are made until an interview has been aired or the magazines in which they are run are no longer on sale.

The head of Bali’s Justice Ministry, Gusti Kompiang Adnyana, reiterated again on Thursday that if Corby conducts any interview she must inform her parole team and they must be present.

Mr Adnyana said that he would investigate again today if an interview was planned.

And anger continues to mount, with commentators in the local press question why Corby is getting apparent special treatment, allowed to stay in a luxury and conduct a media interview for money.

news.com.au 14 Feb 2014

Corby apparently arrived at Brisbane airport with her bag stuffed with drugs, that was scanned and nothing  detected, with no airport video surveillance, to take a flight to Sydney airport which then she boarded a flight to Indonesia.

The fundamental facts are (deliberately?) being ignored, where there is corruption behind the scenes regarding drug trafficking involving customs agents together with the police and politicians.

One fact that cannot be wiped from history is that the New South Wales police force in the 1970's and 1980's was the country's largest drug courier network, where Griffith was a well know cultivation town.

The corrupt heads of police allowed the drug industry to flourish turning a 'blind eye' (for financial reward) for decades, as they do to this day.

In today's day and age, the police are also involved in more elaborate corporate crimes.