Originally Posted by JesseQuinn

I suspect the 'they knew they risks going in' crowd are at least in part reacting to the hypocrisy of criticizing a non-Western nation for killing people when the US (leader of the world or so they like to think) also engage in the same practice with impunity. (love the list posted by aka123, that's some great company in which the US finds itself).

As to the notion that aid given to Indonesia should mean that Aussie prisoners should be granted leniency, bullshit. The death penalty is wrong, being born into a wealthy nation that's in the position to grant aid funding shouldn't elevate their importance above any other prisoner who faces the same fate.

Speaking to the issue raised about Australia's own abuses, I don't really see a parallel. Human rights abuses are wide spread (hell, both Canada and the US engage in similar conduct) and unacceptable, but a human rights violation in one nation shouldn't cancel out a violation in another. Both are wrong. Both deserve outrage.