Indonesia | Young Madeiran arrested for trafficking 2kg of drugs could face death penalty

The Madeiran detained in Indonesia is the son of Rui Óscar, a former Marítimo footballer, who also represented FC Porto and Boavista.

SIC Notícias recently reported that the young man, Rui Viana, was also known for his football talent, having played for the youth teams of Marítimo and Câmara de Lobos.

And it was the president of Câmara de Lobos, Higino Teles, who, as reported by the television information channel, asked the Portuguese State for help in making a request for clemency that could avoid greater evils.

In Indonesia, remember, a Madeiran, arrested for drug trafficking, faces a sentence that can be life imprisonment or death by firing squad.

Young Rui Viana had recently left the Madeira island. He traveled to Lisbon airport on March 16, from where he then left for Jakarta-trip with a stopover in Dubai. He was intercepted by authorities shortly after he landed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta.

He collaborated with local authorities, but his future continues to worry family and friends.

The case is being monitored by the Portuguese Government and the Regional Directorate for Communities.

The family has made every effort to count on diplomatic support and has tried to establish contact with the 20-year-old.

Indonesia police say Madeiran could face death penalty

The Jakarta police spokesperson confirmed that Madeiran Rui Viana, who was arrested with another Portuguese man with two kilos of drugs in Indonesia, could ultimately be sentenced to death, wrote Jornal Público, citing SIC.

The two Portuguese men detained in Jakarta, Indonesia, for drug trafficking, could ultimately be sentenced to the death penalty, contrary to what had been recently indicated by the Indonesian press and even by local police authorities.

Based on what the police said : “the threat of punishment provided for in the article that is applied is the maximum penalty, the death penalty. It all depends on the judge’s decision. The Jakarta Metropolitan Police anti-drug directorate is committed and everyone here is constantly reminded that they must not neglect the fight and must be thorough in their efforts to overcome and eradicate abuse.”

Correio da Manhã reports that the Madeiran man confessed to the crime, showing regret.

Portuguese arrested in Indonesia risk death penalty

Since the first story last month, details have revealed that the two Portuguese arrested for the trafficking of cocaine into Indonesia are not students.

One is Fernando de Sousa, a 39 year-old surfer from Cascais, the other a much young man, Rui Viana, from Madeira, who was apparently lured into flying into Jakarta with the drugs as a way of clearing his ‘debts’. Rui Viana’s girlfriend is pregnant and he recently lost his job, tabloid Correio da Manhã has reported.

Be this as it may, Ade Ary Indradi, the spokesman for Jacarta Metropolitan Police, has stressed that it is up to a judge to decide the men’s punishment, which could run from five to 20 years behind bars, could be life imprisonment or even death by firing squad.

As reports in Portugal stress, the men have asked to be able to serve any jail time in Portugal, but it is not guaranteed that this will happen.

Source: Jornal Madeira, Diário Notícias, portugalresident.com, Staff, March 24-31, April 1, 2024

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