When approached by the police in Brazil even in cases where you are the victim, you better arm yourself with a lawyer at once.
Two British girls who had been robbed was a accused of insurrance fraud properly due to the combination of stress due to the robbery and the language barrrierer.
First they spent 6 days in jail before being released waiting for the trial. Then they were sentenced to months in jail which is an ordeal by it self but they could choose to do community service which is an even more degrading sentence.
Fortunately they appealed their conviction and were aquitted of the charges in a higher court.
However it took justice months to pre-vail. Valuable time they lost out of in their life. It may prove impossible for them to rebuild their lives due to the lost time.
Shanti Andrews and Rebecca Turner for sure got a hard start to their lives and I can only pray that they will be able to overcome this ordeal.
Beside risking to meet the local police exchange students should take into consideration that students may risk wearing school uniforms and as result put their identity in jeopardy.
Sources:British law students sentenced to community service and fined in Brazil insurance fraud (The Telegraph, August 20, 2009)
Backpacker 'fraud' women acquitted (The Sun, December 18, 2009)
Two British girls who had been robbed was a accused of insurrance fraud properly due to the combination of stress due to the robbery and the language barrrierer.
First they spent 6 days in jail before being released waiting for the trial. Then they were sentenced to months in jail which is an ordeal by it self but they could choose to do community service which is an even more degrading sentence.
Fortunately they appealed their conviction and were aquitted of the charges in a higher court.
However it took justice months to pre-vail. Valuable time they lost out of in their life. It may prove impossible for them to rebuild their lives due to the lost time.
Shanti Andrews and Rebecca Turner for sure got a hard start to their lives and I can only pray that they will be able to overcome this ordeal.
Beside risking to meet the local police exchange students should take into consideration that students may risk wearing school uniforms and as result put their identity in jeopardy.
Sources:British law students sentenced to community service and fined in Brazil insurance fraud (The Telegraph, August 20, 2009)
Backpacker 'fraud' women acquitted (The Sun, December 18, 2009)
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