Indonesian authorities will examine the Seven Network’s programme about Schapelle Corby’s release from prison, which they say is going to air “at her risk”.
It’s understood Seven’s Sunday Night has put together a story for this weekend’s programme about the convicted drug smuggler that doesn’t include an interview, which was likely to land her back in jail for breaching parole.
A preview of the programme included footage taken from inside the van Seven hired to whisk Corby away to a luxury villa, where she was expected to do the exclusive talk with Mike Willesee.
Seven says there was no interview, but the programme does contains some of Schapelle’s first recorded words after being released from jail, with the drug smuggler saying “I feel like a crab”.
Two weeks of lobbying by the Corby family has failed to convince Indonesian authorities that an interview with Schapelle wouldn’t upset the public, and therefore breach parole conditions.
Mercedes Corby and her husband Wayan Widyartha again met authorities in Bali this week, and Mercedes was given permission to be interviewed.
Head of Bali’s provincial law and human rights office, I Gusti Kompyang Adnyana, says the programme goes to air at Corby’s risk.
“Since the very beginning I’ve warned that an interview is not allowed,” he said on Friday.
“If an interview was still conducted, it’s at her risk.
“We will later see the content of it … discuss it afterwards and report to Jakarta.
“If there’s truly a violation, there will be sanctions.”
Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin has repeatedly warned of the likely consequences of Corby speaking publicly.
“I think all activities that would create unease, social jealousy, they should be avoided,” he told reporters in Jakarta on Friday.
Corby went to enormous lengths to conceal her face from the media when she was released on February 10.
As the van she is in exits Bali’s Kerobokan Prison complex, Schapelle lets out the contented whoop of a free woman.
“Nice one, driver. Woohoo,” she says from behind the scarf she used to hide her face.
When she steps into the luxury private resort where her brother and sister are waiting, she begins to laugh, jump up and down and hug her brother Michael and sister Mercedes.
“You can take your thing off now,” her brother tells her, and she removes the scarf.
The former beauty school student can also be seen Skyping her mother Rosleigh Rose back in Australia, and hugging her nieces and nephews.
Seven says there was no interview with Schapelle and the family was not paid for the story.
Speculation about an interview sparked a raid of Seven’s offices last week by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) as part of a proceeds of crime investigation.
Seven and Mercedes Corby are suing the AFP over the raids.
By Gabrielle Dunlevy, Southeast Asia Correspondent
