Indonesian court urged to jail Japanese teen for one year over drugs

A sentence of a year or less should be considered a good outcome for this lad. Hopefully others planning to visit Indonesia will take note.

The kid will thank his lucky stars if he gets off this lightly.

Then he should consider himself very, very lucky indeed. Being a resident of Bali, and no doubt being fully aware of the consequences of what he was doing, they have been kind to him.

The defendant was a minor, and being polite during the trial, admitted his mistake and promised not to repeat it, he said.

Read - "We scared the cr*p out of him, don't see him being such a fool in the future"

Same with the 14yo Aussie kid being a punk in Bali - they gave him heat the Aussie system is too scared to. Bet he learnt a valuable lesson too.

One year sounds kinda long considering the Australian got off in 2 months but it is less than 12 years so he's lucky!

If he is an addict, a slap on the wrist will do him no good. The one year will do him good. Hopefully he can clean himself up and pass on his story to help others. I'm sure he'll be thankful for this in the future.

If he is an addict, a slap on the wrist will do him no good.

Marijuana is not addictive.

Tanarama- I didn't read in the story where it said he was fully aware of Indonesian drug laws. Do you know this 16 year old personally?

Marijuana is not addictive.

Isn't it? How do you know? Tried it? Can it be less addictive than tabacco? Or other legal drugs?

Still not as bad as what would have happened in Japan if he wasn't "a child". Here they would kick you out of your job and publicly shame you. Enough so that suicide risk would increase, so while jail sentences are a bit lighter (depending on how famous you are), it's halfway a death sentence.

Marijuana is not addictive.

what?!

All I have to say is if you think marijuana is addictive, then fine. I agree with you . But alcohol is 100 times MORE addictive. If you deny THAT you are just yet another alcholic living in denial.

@trsnow ummmmmmmmmm yeah! Pot has no phycicalt additive chemicals. Nicotine and alchol are physical additive! This is scientific fact. Pot is mentally addictive becuse it makes you feel good. Like video game, or food, or reality tv. People can become mentality addictive to anything that makes then feel good. It is a totally differnt scenario when something is physically addictive as well like tobacco or alachol.

inverseOct. 09, 2012 - 09:07AM JST

Marijuana is not addictive.

To rest the case:

Marijuana is known to cause mental dependencies (addiction) but not verified to have significant physical dependencies (addiction). Both sides are correct depending on what you prefer.

You can overdose on it, but the toxicity is much lower than the threshold for being unable to smoke any more.

It is dangerous to your lungs, and is no better for you than cigarettes.

THC and related chemicals may have medical uses, though smoking is not needed and it is better taken under guidance of trained medical staff (though illegal practically everywhere)

All readers back on topic please. From here on, posts that do not focus on the story will be removed.

A year in jail seems a pretty steep sentence for having a little weed and being a first time offender. I would just send the kid home and save the Indonesian taxpayers some money.

Hoserfella

Tanarama- I didn't read in the story where it said he was fully aware of Indonesian drug laws. Do you know this 16 year old personally?

Nope, I don't, it's just my assumption. He has lived in Bali for a fair while and attends an International School there, so I am pretty sure he would be aware of the drug laws and local view on smoking dope. Would you say that is a reasonable assumption?

A good decision by the court. I agree with it.

Matthew SimonOct. 09, 2012 - 02:37PM JST

A year in jail seems a pretty steep sentence for having a little weed and being a first time offender. I would just send the kid home and save the Indonesian taxpayers some money.

Like most muslim countries, the punishments are severe for drugs and alcohol (in certain areas of Indonesia). The kid is lucky that there's a sizable Christian population there, if he had been in UAE it would have been four years MANDATORY. It is interesting that they chose to single out this kid though, since the amount was very small and he was still a minor even in Indonesian system. They could have easily said a suspended sentence of 1 year and deportation, which would have let them look both strong against drugs and at the same time lenient and compassionate.

Prosecuters always ask for longer sentences than they expect to get. I'm thinking the kid will get 2 to 6 months.

at least they are not going to hang him

A 1 year sentence in ANY jail will get him straight!

Not a word about the policeman who sold the stuff

Living in an island like in Bali, unless if that boy was living in a bubble, he should aware of the severe penalty for drug offences. Because they tried lots of Aussie for drug offences in Bali

Tamarama -

Nope, I don't, it's just my assumption

Ahhh, I see. You assume he did, but really haven't the slightest clue either way.

That verdict is simply unacceptable.... I can't believe it. In any Western Court, this would go down as 1 month probattion.

That verdict is simply unacceptable.... I can't believe it. In any Western Court, this would go down as 1 month probattion.

Yup, and certain posters here applauding the fact a kid may rot in jail for a year for buying a single joint would say nothing.

Well.. let's face it, he bought a joint in a predominantly Muslim country. Fortunatley Indonsia is moderate compared to, lets say, Afganistan or Pakistan. In some countries burning a page of a single certain book will get you a death sentence. Hopefully he gets out in a month or two without any real emotional baggage. We can't really view the situation through own own cultural lenses. Let's face it, they do this to show the world that drugs won't be tolerated in Indonesia. I mean, after hearing this, I won't be smoking pot in Indonesia. That is exactly the result they wan't.

Pot is not addictive!..i agree with Mr. Robert Dykes.

I didn't read in the story where it said he was fully aware of Indonesian drug laws.

It's in the article : " a student at an international high school on the island" . A resident of a country, older than 7, is required to know the laws apply to daily life,if not the parents should never let him on his own in the streets. It's part of the law. I've been 16, I knew I was not allowed to drive a car, that pot was illegal in my country, etc. At 16, we knew well where the line was. Some of us still crossed it, but not by ignorance.

a kid may rot in jail for a year for buying a single joint

That's harsh,but not decided yet. I think underage should never be jailed,dangerous ones should be in special centers and for a little delinquent like him community work on his days off would teach him better.

It's in the article : " a student at an international high school on the island" . A resident of a country, older than 7, is required to know the laws apply to daily life,if not the parents should never let him on his own in the streets. It's part of the law.

Cos - Making statements like this out of thin air does nothing for your argument (whatever that is)

1 year for 2 grams of weed? did i read this correctly ? that's a joke article, right ? no ? omg