Major update for Brazilian teen facing possible death by firing squad in Bali

A 19-year-old woman who was arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into Bali has likely escaped death by firing squad.

Brazilian teen Manuela Vitoria de Araujo Farias was charged with international drug trafficking after she was allegedly caught with 3kg of cocaine in her luggage in January.

Her case made headlines across the world last month when global press agency Newsflash reported prosecutors had demanded the maximum penalty.

If convicted of trafficking drugs in Indonesia, it meant she could have faced execution by firing squad or life imprisonment.

However, according to Brazilian media reports, her lawyer Davi Lira da Silva believes this fate was ruled out last week when prosecutors asked the court to imprison Ms Farias for 12 years.

Mr da Silva reportedly said the defence was more relaxed now for the final judgment with Ms Farias having “practically escaped both life imprisonment and the death penalty”.

He believed that if the prosecution did not ask for capital punishment, the judge would not give it. It is understood the case will return to court on Tuesday.

Bali Police Chief Inspector General Putu Jayan Danu Putra confirmed the young woman’s arrest to local media in Denpasar on January 27.

The Bali Sun reported that Ms Farias had arrived at Bali Airport at around 3am on January 1 on a Qatar Airways flight. She had flown from Brazil to Bali via Qatar.

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“The drug smuggling attempt was thwarted by the Bali airport customs. We really appreciate what customs have done,” Chief Inspector Putra told reporters at the January 27 press conference, according to the publication.

Prosecutors had alleged she was working with a drug gang, but Mr da Silva claimed Ms Farias, who sold lingerie and perfume for a living, was tricked into co-operating after the group told her of temples in Bali where they pray for the sick.

Ms Farias’ lawyers said she was going to seek Buddhist prayers for her sick mother.

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