Freed British Drug Mule Faces Imprisonment in UK
The Foreign Office has not disclosed what will happen to Sandiford upon her arrival in the UK tomorrow. However, an Indonesian official stated:
“В Англии она останется в тюрьме.”
Return After More Than a Decade on Death Row
Lindsay Sandiford, a 69-year-old British grandmother convicted of drug smuggling, is set to arrive on British soil after over ten years on death row in Bali. She was photographed in a wheelchair experiencing freedom for the first time in 13 years after being released from Bali's infamous Kerobokan jail.
Flight and Release Details
Wearing a mask and shielding herself from photographers, Sandiford was taken to Denpasar International Airport and boarded a Qatar Airways flight. Her release was secured through a UK-funded £600 plane ticket under a bilateral agreement led by Keir Starmer with Indonesian authorities.
Health and Legal Background
Sandiford is reportedly in very poor health during the 20-hour journey back to the UK. Her sentence stemmed from smuggling cocaine worth £1.6 million into Indonesia, a case that marked a grim chapter in her life as a legal secretary.
Uncertain Future in the UK
The UK government has not confirmed if she will be free upon arrival or detained. Indonesia's Deputy Minister for Immigration and Correctional Coordination, I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, commented on her fate in Britain:
“В Англии она останется в тюрьме.”
Sandiford left her cell in Kerobokan jail shortly after 2pm GMT.
Author’s summary: Lindsay Sandiford’s release from Bali death row ends a tragic ordeal, but her legal and health challenges continue as she returns to uncertain conditions in the UK.