Bali 9: The Untold Story

On 17 April 2005, nine young Australians were arrested in Bali on charges of trafficking heroin. Four of the group – Renae Lawrence, Martin Stephens, Scott Rush and Michael Czugaj – were caught with the drugs taped to their bodies. Two others, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were alleged to be the ringleaders of the operation. And a final three – Si Yi Chen, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen and Matthew Norman – were also scooped up as the final element in the Bali 9, as the group came to be known. Their arrests, so closely following that of Schapelle Corby, shocked Australians; even more shocking was the revelation that all nine could face the death penalty in Indonesia. Public opinion has been loud and divided on their individual levels of guilt, and on the appropriate punishment. Journalists Cindy Wockner and Madonna King have investigated the extraordinary untold story of the Bali 9. With the cooperation of several family members of the Bali 9, they explore the histories of these eight men and one woman who have so unwittingly come into the public eye, to try to discover why these young people would take such a perilous risk. They also look at the controversial role of the Australian Federal Police in the fate of the Bali 9, and they are present at the trials and sentencing. One-way Ticket: The Untold Story of the Bali 9 is a compelling, clear-eyed portrait of an unforgettable chapter in Australia’s history. It also serves as a chilling warning to all parents: this could be your child, too.” 403 p.