By An Australian mother of five is facing the death penalty in Taiwan after she was allegedly caught with a stash of cocaine and heroin in her suitcase. Debbie Voulgaris, 57, was arrested at Taoyuan International Airport in December after Taiwanese police found 15 pounds of drugs hidden in black plastic bags inside her luggage.
Voulgaris initially denied any knowledge of the drugs but later claimed her ex-husband, John, was behind the scheme. Her lawyer, Leon Huang, emphasized the importance of her ex-husband testifying as he is the only person who could confirm her claims.
Under Taiwan’s strict legal system, capital punishment remains legal for a range of crimes, including drug trafficking. Although lethal injection has been considered, executions are currently carried out by shooting, with condemned prisoners sedated and shot through the heart or, if they are organ donors, through the brain stem.
Even if Voulgaris avoids the death penalty, she faces a minimum of five years in prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment. Voulgaris allegedly received the drugs in Malaysia around December 10 before flying to Taiwan. She was reportedly paid $1,800 for transporting the drugs, which have an estimated street value of $1.25 million.
Since her arrest, Voulgaris has been detained in a Taiwanese prison. Her lawyer described her as a “good-natured person” who was used as a drug mule without her knowledge. Huang noted that because Voulgaris admitted guilt early while maintaining she was unaware of the drugs, she might avoid the death penalty.
The Taiwanese court documents allege that Voulgaris was part of a “drug transport syndicate.” Despite her initial denial, her inconsistent statements have been noted. Voulgaris’s legal team is seeking to subpoena her ex-husband, John, whose exact whereabouts are currently unknown.
Voulgaris has been denied visits from family members but can see her legal team and officials from the Australian Office in Taipei. An application for her release was denied in March, with judges citing her as a flight risk. The judges also noted that her daughter has John’s contact information, which could lead to collusion.
Voulgaris is scheduled to appear in court again in August. The likelihood of her receiving the death penalty has diminished after Taiwan’s Constitutional Court ruled last August that imposing life sentences or the death penalty for drug offenses is partly unconstitutional.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman confirmed that a detained Australian woman in Taiwan is receiving consular assistance. A change.org petition for Voulgaris’s release has garnered 3,000 signatures, highlighting her character and the impact on her five children.
Taiwan’s debate over the death penalty has been ongoing, with Amnesty International and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty challenging its constitutionality. Although capital punishment remains for various crimes, all executions since the early 2000s have been for murder.
The execution process in Taiwan involves senior officials, with a final sentence from the Supreme Court and a warrant of execution signed by the Minister of Justice. Death row prisoners face harsher conditions than those in the general population, although some conditions have improved over time.
Source: DailyMail.com
