DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A British man, Thomas Parker, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for drug-related offenses on the Indonesian island of Bali. This sentence comes after an initial charge that could have resulted in the death penalty was dropped. The ruling was made on Tuesday at the Denpasar District Court.
Thomas Parker, hailing from Cumbria in northwest England, was arrested on January 21 at a villa near Kuta Beach, a popular destination for tourists. His arrest occurred after he allegedly collected a package containing illegal drugs from a motorcycle taxi driver on a nearby street. Police reported that Parker was "acting suspiciously" during this transaction, leading to his apprehension.
According to court documents, Parker discarded the package in a panic and attempted to flee when approached by police. Following his flight, officers were able to trace him back to the villa where he was staying and subsequently arrested him. A laboratory test confirmed that the package contained slightly over a kilogram (2.326 pounds) of MDMA, the primary component of ecstasy.
During the police investigation, Parker maintained that he did not order the package. It was revealed that the drugs were sent by a friend, identified only as Nicky, a drug dealer with whom Parker had been in contact for approximately two years through the Telegram messaging app. Parker claimed he was informed that someone would shortly pick up the package from him and he was neither offered money nor any other form of compensation in exchange for receiving it.
Initially charged with drug trafficking, a crime in Indonesia that carries a possible death sentence, the charges against Parker were mitigated after investigators established that the package was not directly connected to him. The court instead charged him with the lesser offense of concealing information from authorities.
During the trial, Parker testified that he had initially hesitated to collect the package. However, he agreed to do so after being assured by Nicky that the package was safe and would not implicate him in any danger. Prosecutors had sought a one-year prison sentence for Parker, but the judges decided to impose a milder 10-month sentence on account of Parker's apologies for his actions, his lack of a prior criminal record, and his pledge to reform his conduct in the future.
As the panel of judges announced the sentence, Parker remained composed and silent. Additionally, the judges ordered that the time he has already spent in custody since his arrest would be deducted from his sentence, which means he could be released within a few months. Following the verdict, Parker expressed his acceptance of the decision and confirmed he would not file an appeal, stating, "I really, really regret everything that has happened. I am sorry and will follow the judge's decision."
Indonesia is known for its stringent drug laws, with severe penalties for drug trafficking. Currently, about 530 individuals are on death row in Indonesia for various offenses, predominantly drug-related crimes, including 96 foreign nationals. Notably, Indonesia's last executions, which included both Indonesian and foreign convicts, were carried out in July 2016.
