Prosecutors are calling for a 19-year-old woman to be executed by firing squad after she was arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into Bali.
The Brazilian teenager, Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias, has been in custody since her initial arrest in January 2023, after allegedly being sprung with 3kg of cocaine in her luggage.
According to global press agency Newsflash, prosecutors demanded the maximum penalty.
If she is convicted of trafficking drugs into Indonesia, she could face execution by firing squad or a lifetime prison sentence.
Authorities allege she was involved with a drug gang, but according to her lawyer, Davi Lira da Silva, the teen sold lingerie and perfume for a living and was tricked by people she trusted.
Mr da Silva claimed the 19-year-old was tricked into cooperating after the gang who hired her told her about temples in Bali where they pray for the ill.
Her mother had recently suffered a stroke and her lawyers claimed she was going to seek Buddhist prayers for a cure.
They also alleged that the gang had promised to pay for surf lessons for Ms Farias following her arrival to the country.
Her arrest made international headlines after the case was confirmed to local media by Bali Police Chief Inspector Gen Putu Jayan Danu Putra in Denpasar on January 27, 2023.
The Bali Sun reported that Ms Farias had arrived at Bali Airport around 3 am on January 1 on a Qatar Airways flight, travelling from Brazil to Bali via Qatar.
“The drug smuggling attempt was thwarted by the Bali airport customs. We really appreciate what customs have done,” Chief Inspector Putra said at a press conference on January 27, according to the outlet.
Ms Farias’ case has been adjourned with the sentences to be announced on a later date in April.
Image credit: Twitter
This article first appeared on Over60.