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Amanda Knox appeals have started

12/8/2010

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As a cruel reminder how wrong things can go when a prosecutor wants the media to focus on another story than the trial against him for abuse of his office, we are happy to report that the appeal trial against Amanda Knox has started.

However the question remains whether the court system can be so brave that she can expect a fair trial or the loss of prestige would be so huge that they can rule in no other way than the very biased jury at the original trial.

Despite the outcome it is still considered very unsafe for exchange students to travel to Italy. Amanda Knox has lost 3 years of her life while she is trying to clear her name.

When you are an exchange student abroad you are at the mercy of the police and justice system which in many cases are not as developed as home and the foreign department can often do very little to help you.

In this case it is very clear that some forces inside Italy think that they have a score to settle with U.S. Citizens due to the claims that CIA agents abducted a man on open street in Italy so they could take him to justice.

We have to acknowledge that we as ordinary citizens can have no knowledge about what kind of business our government has going in various countries. When the consequence can hit you so hard as it did with Amanda Knox, then the safest choice can only be to remain at home.

Reference:
Amanda Knox appeal: Italians are embarrassed by this case, The Guardian, November 25, 2010
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Do NOT report police brutality abroad

9/16/2010

1 Comment

 
When you are visiting a foreign culture you are the guest. You may be used to the authorities acting by certain standards at home, but you need to have an open mind if you observe foreign police acting in a rather brutal way. Right now a 26 year old student is serving 26 years after what many considers a show-trial set up by a procecutor who has been sentenced for wrongful conducts in another investigation.


This student did report police brutality and for that testimony she is risking six years in prison on the top of the 26 years she has been sentenced to already.

We cannot challenge the claim that her testimony is something she imaginged during her more than 10 hours of interview with no breaks and no access to a lawyer who spoke her language dispite the fact that she had right to such a lawyer according to the Vienna Convention of Consular Relations.

We do know that the police sometime has to act rather brutal against foregin citizens to protect peace in the society. Otherwise the society could be hurt not do to the actual actions of the foreigners but due to cutural pollution. In Denmark the police did run a Facebook group where the members proudly told of their actions when Polish huligans entered Denmark. France is presently active against the Romani people.

What can you do when you become target of the police, even when it is a friendly interview?

Flee the country! Do not tell publicly why! The case in Italy shows that the foreign police will try to sue you.

You can risk extradition, but the case against the Danish woman Camilla Broe shows that time will bring out the truth. She was aquitted of all charges in the end. Had she remained abroad it would properly not have been the case.

References:
Friend like this (Newsweek)
French Roma repatriation (Wikipedia)
Vienna Convention of Consular Relations (Wikipedia)
Copper battle glee on Facebook (Politiken)
1 Comment

Amanda Knox was "convicted" long before she entered the court

5/10/2010

10 Comments

 
We just learned that the photo of Amanda Knox was to be found on the wall of shame in the headquarter of the Italian Forensic Police department only 3 months after she was detained.

At that time the trial had not been started. In fact she was not officially charged with a crime. Still they put the photo up along a number of criminals they had put behind bars.

Where is the principal: "Innocent until proven guilty"?

The short answer is that such a gurantee is non-existing in Italy. We can only urge Danish students no to consider to travel to Italy.
10 Comments

Oprah will investigate study abroad programs.

2/25/2010

6 Comments

 

There has been too little information about the the risk and legal liability following institutions and students on study abroad programs. 

In the United States alone - each year, more than a quarter million U.S. students leave the safety and security of their families and country to travel to study abroad programs. 

Those students, families and universities will continue to struggle with the result from the Amanda Knox trial and verdict. Here is a link to the Oprah show. Knox became victim of a criminal prosecutor now sentenced to 1 year and 4 months for abuse of power.

For Danes we have the Camilla Broe case showing us that the political environment in our old country sometime can mean a destroyed life if you choose to stay and help the police rather than fleeing home with the first plane the minute you learn of a crime in the community you enter abroad.

Most people in the United Kingdom can remember how Woodward became victim of forensic research not quite developed to exonerate her of a crime at her host familiy.

It is good that the dangers of leaving your own country can be public knowledge. A huge part of the problem is that there is too much focus on profit among the travel agencies. Maybe Oprah investigation will bring result in more independent information available for the future exchange students and their familiies so tragedies can be prevented.
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    International culture exchange is a small NGO in Denmark working to protect Danish youth and preserve our unique culture.

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