An Australian accountant arrested after he allegedly brought drugs into Indonesia may need to rely on diplomatic negotiations to avoid a possible death penalty, an international law expert believes.
Isaac Emmanuel Roberts, 35, was arrested following his arrival in Bali from Bangkok on December 4.
He is accused of carrying 19 grams of amphetamine and ecstasy pills in his luggage.
The University of Queensland's Melanie O'Brien said the punishment imposed upon Roberts could come down to negotiations between the Indonesian and Australian governments.
"Indonesia takes a very strong stance on drug offences so they don't like being told what to do by countries such as Australia but on the other hand Australia is an important country for Indonesia to have a good relationship with," she told AAP on Wednesday.
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"They can't afford entirely to say: 'No, we're not going to engage in any kind of diplomacy over this issue'."
On Tuesday, Bali police paraded Roberts, dressed in orange prison garb and a balaclava, to journalists.
He was later taken to hospital, reportedly suffering shock after all the media attention.
Dr O'Brien said the addition of a balaclava over Roberts' face was a new technique for Indonesian police but the parading of foreigners accused of drug offences was a deliberate statement.
