Life sentence in Vietnamese jail for drug-smuggler mother
A Sydney mother of three young children has been sentenced to
life in prison by a Vietnamese court after being caught smuggling
heroin.
The Federal Government has welcomed the Ho Chi Minh City
court's decision to impose a jail term and $11,000 fine on
Nguyen Thi Kim Hieu, 35, rather than the death penalty.
Last year another Sydney woman, Le My Linh, was sentenced to
death by firing squad by a Vietnamese court for importing a
similar quantity of the drug, but is appealing.
Fairfield councillor Thang Ngo said the judgement will also give
hope to three Australian sisters, aged 12, 14 and 24, who await
trial after being caught last November in possession of 656
grams of heroin.
The Federal Government is working to have the 14-year-old
released on bail. The 12-year-old is in the care of an aunt in
Vietnam.
However, Ms Nguyen's family doctor, Tien Nguyen, who is not
related to her, said the sentence was not surprising given she
has children, the youngest of whom is two years old. The
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that the
Vietnamese penal code allowed women with children aged
under 36 months to be shown leniency.
Dr Nguyen, also the president of the NSW chapter of the
Vietnamese Community in Australia, said Ms Nguyen was just
an ordinary person who had developed a gambling problem. It is
believed her former partner is caring for the children in Sydney.
Her mother, 85, also lives in Sydney.
Ms Nguyen told the court that she had been paid $US35,000
($59,000) by another Australian Vietnamese woman to board a
flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Sydney in January last year with
811 grams of heroin in six packages concealed under her
clothing.
She has the right under Vietnamese law to appeal against the
conviction.
By Kirsty Needham - The Sydney Morning Herald - March 20, 2003.
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