In this patriarchal world in which we live it appears that women are in a no win situation. Chantal has been a victim of the very social institutions which the western world upholds as an example of good moral behaviour, yet she has been imprisoned for participation of this institution. The institution is marriage. The crime to love and obey her husband. She may have unwittingly been a part of an alleged complex fraud operation which was instigated by her husband, I have no opinion on his part of this, she may have benefited from the profits, families may have been hurt by the financial loss which may been incurred by the alleged fraudulent antics of William's company. But was it so wrong to fall in love with the wrong man, to be herself fooled by the dream of living a fantastic lifestyle with her husband. Was it wrong to believe in her husband.

She did not kill or physically hurt anyone, she did not smuggle or deal in drugs which may have ruined thousands of lives, she never abused a child, but her husbands company may have offered a dream to many people who have been oppressed by a society which rates ownership of money as the highest human reward. Maybe it is the political and social systems of the west which need to come into focus here for without the need for dreams of wealth by the impoverished none of this may have happened.

By harming the life of Chantal, her family and friends, people of Britain and America have lost faith in a country which boasts to be a world leader a fore runner for human rights. This sentence is a violation of the human rights of a woman who has dared to believe in a dream of a having a perfect life. Isn't that what we all want, set her free.

Good luck, Chantal.

Lyn Hagan
London