In a Laotian prison sits a woman who has been jailed since August 2008.
She’s five months pregnant.
You do the math.
The person imprisoned is Samantha Orabator, a 20-year-old Black British woman who was arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle 0.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage. Operating under a communist government Laos imposes a mandatory death sentence for individuals who are caught with more than the statutory limit of half a kilogram of heroin.
Orabator was sentenced to death by firing squad until last week. Under the Lao Penal Code, pregnant women are exempt from capitol punishment.
There are many complexities and topics of discussion associated with this situation, but perhaps the most pervasive is Orabator’s pregnancy. There are several theories as to how Orabator became pregnant – from her having a fling with guards, to outrageous claims of her being “deliberately and medically impregnated.”
However, the blatantly obvious way for Orabator to become pregnant in the all women’s prison is because she was raped. It’s that simple.
Apparently rape and other adverse treatment aren’t that uncommon in Laos’ Phonthong prison. Known for its harsh medieval-like conditions, former inmates attest that they were subjected to abuse and torture, weren’t given food everyday, and rarely were allowed to see a doctor. In addition, the prison is said to be severely overcrowded.
When I first learned of Orabator’s plight, I was overcome with worry and anger. Whether the aspiring medical student is guilty or not should have no bearing on the quality of treatment she receives while in prison – regardless of the country. To be arrested and sentenced to death is unimaginable for most of us, but to have such a fate while also being subjected to such degrading treatment is even harder to grasp. Couple that with the fact that Orabator is carrying the child of one of her assailants is enough to make any sane woman go mad.
At Recorder press time, Orabator had not been appointed an attorney, nor had she been allowed to see representatives from Reprieve, a London-based legal charity that is working to assist Orabator with her defense and health needs.
Earlier this week there was discussion between the British and Laos government that may lead to Orabator serving the remainder of her sentence in Britain, but at press time, no official agreement had been made.
Some of you reading this column might be wondering why I’m writing about something that is happening a world away from the United States.
My response: It’s our responsibility.
It’s vitally important that we pay attention to international issues and things that happen overseas. Knowledge is power and with power comes change. It’s our responsibility as human beings to stay informed about the treatment of people – regardless of who they are or where they’re from. That’s why President Obama has the right idea regarding closing Guantanamo Bay. People are people and there is a basic level of respect that we should all give one another – and yes – individuals who commit crimes are included.
We are a world community. Things that take place on one side of the world, can very easily happen on another.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best, “A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
