Justice De-NILED‏

Well, what a tragic outcome for Mr Peter Greste and his family and freedom in general. Seems to me that if this man was guilty of the charges for which he has been convicted then as hard and as uncomfortable as it is for a person who is a strong advocate for freedom of speech to say, then he has to cop the punishment for the local crime as per the local law.

 I would never hold up Indonesia as a country of freedom & democracy and justice for all but at least the prosecution delivered pretty damning evidence that has sent Schapelle Corby to prison. Of course it is my opinion and that of most people that regardless of her guilt, the sentence certainly doesn't fit the crime.

 The same is certainly my opinion in this case in Egypt but the vast difference between Corby and Greste is a matter of Judicial transparency. Where is the evidence that he deliberately conspired to promote propaganda for an outlawed terrorist group and why was any evidence not available to the world even after the sentence of seven years was announced.

This will be a tough one and I sure as hell hope that the President of Egypt will listen to our Department of Foreign Affairs and the PM and exercise clemency in favour of Peter Grests. If only to save face, they could have just banned him from ever entering the country again. Pretty sure he'd never want to set foot in that place again anyway. If there is any blessing to be had here then it must be that he at least escaped the hangman's noose.

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