Qld: Prisoner on hunger strike over pardon delay

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2009
Qld: Prisoner on hunger strike over pardon delay

By Evan Schwarten

CAIRNS, April 7 AAP - A north Queensland prisoner has been starving himself since Friday
in a last-ditch bid to seek a pardon from the federal government in light of new evidence,
his brother says.

A Federal Court judge last month ordered Federal Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus to
reconsider his decision to reject a bid for a pardon by Frederick Arthur Martens, who
in 2006 became the first Australian convicted of a sex tourism offence in Papua New Guinea.

Martens, a pilot, is currently being held in the Lotus Glen jail in north Queensland,
serving his sentence for having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

The girl's aunt Dianne Tapari has told AAP her niece made up the allegations against
Martens as part of a conspiracy initiated by Martens' former wife.

A second charge of child sex tourism against Martens was dismissed by the Cairns Supreme
Court last year after a witness admitted the allegations were false.

Mr Debus last year rejected Martens' pardon application, despite evidence uncovered
by his family which they say proves he was 1,000km away from the alleged victim at the
time of the offence.

The evidence includes flight records acquired under freedom of information laws which
were supported by Martens' own log book.

Federal Court judge John Logan early last month ordered that Mr Debus reconsider his
decision "according to law".

Martens' brother Peter Wheatley on Tuesday said his brother was so frustrated that
the minister had not reconsidered his decision that he started a hunger strike last Friday.

Mr Wheatley said his brother was willing to continue the strike "as long as necessary
for them to get their act together down in Canberra".

"I know my brother - when he makes his mind up to do something he will stick to his
guns," he told AAP.

"This is his last-ditch stand. He is willing to do whatever is necessary to get that decision."

He said his brother, whose weight has dropped 10kg since his admission to prison, was
starting to feel weak.

"To look at him, it brings tears to my eyes," Mr Wheatley said.

"I look at his arms, I put my hand on his shoulder, I can feel bones, no meat.

"He can't afford really to lose any more weight, but at the same time he's not going
to sit there in prison and languish at the hands of these bureaucrats in Canberra."

A corrective services spokeswoman said Martens was accepting fluids but refusing all
food and was being monitored hourly by prison and medical staff.

Responses were being sought from Mr Debus and Attorney-General Robert McClelland.

AAP ews/pjo/jl/de

KEYWORD: MARTENS (PIX AVAILABLE)

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.