Locked up overseas.

I was watching this show last night and I am just horrified.

This documentary tells the stories of Americans who were accused unfairly in foreign countries, and ended up serving time in prison. Laws obviously vary from country to country, but also, how each country handles the offense is different too. So if you are unlucky enough to face a similar situation, always ALWAYS make sure you are aware of your rights, and take advantage of it.

I couldn’t finish the documentary – it was almost ridiculous how they treated the “foreign” suspects. Maybe in some countries, these foreigners really did commit the crime, but I have been to places where the local government is so powerful that they can easily lock up innocent people just to protect their people. And I think there was a case where three tourists were arrested because they crossed the border that wasn’t marked. Can someone say unjust?

I’m obviously the third party, the observer, the audience, and have very little knowledge about any of these cases, so I am going to stay away from throwing out names. But these unfortunate situations do occur, and you can never be too careful. At the very least, know your rights, travelers of the world.