British Gran On Bali Death Row: Deadline Due

The deadline expires today for lawyers representing a British woman on death row in Bali to appeal against her sentence.

Lindsay Sandiford, 56, was sentenced to death by firing squad by a court in Bali in January for taking £1.6m of cocaine on to the island last year.

On Monday Sandiford lost an appeal over the UK Government's refusal to fund her legal challenge against her death sentence.

The Court of Appeal in London heard Sandiford needs about £8,000 to fight on - and only £2,000 has so far been raised.

But the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) refused to fund her case as a matter of Government policy.

The FCO reiterated the UK's opposition to the death penalty and said it had repeatedly made representations to the Indonesian government about the case.

Sandiford remains in a race against time to raise the money to take her case to Indonesia's Supreme Court in Jakarta as the deadline expires at midnight Tuesday local time (5pm GMT).

Her execution by firing squad has been scheduled for May 7.

Sandiford lost her first appeal to the Bali High Court

If she makes the deadline and the Supreme Court also rejects her plea, she can then seek a judicial review of the decision from the same court.

After that, only the president can grant her a reprieve.

Sandiford lost her first appeal to the Bali High Court on April 8 after a closed hearing of three judges decided the lower court's original sentence had been "accurate and correct".

Balinese police said Sandiford was at the centre of a drugs-importing ring involving three other Britons.

But the grandmother, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, claimed she was forced to transport the drugs to protect her children whose safety was at stake.

She received the death sentence despite prosecutors asking only for a 15-year jail term, after she was accused of damaging the image of Bali.

Sandiford told those who have donated money towards her appeal that she has been humbled by the experience as she deals with "the ultimate emotional rollercoaster ride".

She also said she is appealing "first and foremost" so she can meet her granddaughter, who was born in December.

Sandiford is from Cheltenham

In a message sent to supporters, she said: "I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and caring. I've always been an independent person and I hate not to be able to pay my way.

"So for me this is a very humbling experience having to rely on the kindness of strangers and am very deeply touched.

"I am trying to help myself. As you are probably aware the Government won't assist despite pontificating that they are opposed to the death penalty.

"I knit and have just finished a piece that I'm hoping to auction to assist paying for my local lawyer and his assistants.

"They are really good people along with the enormous debt I owe to Reprieve for their support and simple caring.

"I know I have been difficult to deal with as the situation I am in leads to the ultimate emotional rollercoaster ride. They have been brilliant."

She also thanked UK charity Prisoners Abroad for "quietly" supporting her with funds for drinking water and food.

"I will never be able to express the joy they gave to me," she said.

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