Letters: Corby needs Article 44

This is a comment on "Corby has gone insane, psychiatrist says" (the Post's website, Aug. 25).

This will be interesting. If the attempt to diagnose her as a mentally ill patient is successful, she will be eligible for treatment, according to the Indonesian Criminal Code Article 44.

And while Corby's psychiatrist's diagnosis may be taken into consideration, the Indonesian court will have to appoint a group of (around three) psychiatrists as expert witnesses to make an objective diagnosis, to determine whether Corby is suffering from minor, moderate or severe mental illness.

Only moderate and severe mental illness will get her out of jail for treatment. But, Corby's lawyer should know that the treatment will probably take place in Bali as the crime site, or other parts of the country, rather than in Australia, depending on the medical experts appointed.

And, after the treatment is over, she will have to serve her remaining sentence.

But that will depend on the supervision and cooperation of the mental health institution and Kerobokan penitentiary, as some wealthy mentally ill criminals are able to make use of the loopholes in the Indonesian law enforcement system to escape the remaining years.

Good luck, Corby. Don't forget to bring heroin, not marijuana, next time you travel to Bali.

Say to the police immediately that someone only you can see kept telling you that the heroin was a present you had to take to Kuta beach.

Schizophrenia is included as a severe mental illness and you can use Article 44 again.

Ina
Jakarta