A judge has sentenced Mahendra Varsha Sabhnani convicted in a slavery case that we covered here , and here to 11 years of prison.Unfortunately, this is an AP news release so I cannot quote any of it here because of this .

UPDATE: CNN now reports that Varsha Sabhnani was sentenced to 11 yedars while Mahendra Sabhnani awaits sentencing today . (link)

Federal sentencing guidelines had recommended a range of 12 to 15 years in prison for Sabhnani, who was identified as the one who inflicted the abuse. In addition to prison, she will serve three years of probation and was fined $25,000.

“I just want to say that I love my children very much,” the defendant told the court as two of her grown children looked on. “I was brought to this Earth to help people who are in need.”

The defence attorney has some pretty unbeleivable stuff to say.In essence he blamed Sabhnani’s behavior on excessive weight loss – I kid you not

Defense attorney Jeffrey Hoffman said that 175 letters were submitted to the court detailing Sabhnani’s charitable acts around the world. He called her “a woman who spent a lifetime doing good deeds.”

Hoffman said that around 2004 or 2005, Sabhnani’s weight plummeted from 325 pounds to 135. “She did it by starving herself,” and that resulted in a chemical imbalance and significant malnourishment. “She had become a very different person.”

UPDATE 2: Mahender Sabhnani, the husband, was today sentenced to 31/2 years in prison .Once again, AP news rules prevent me from quoting anything- but you can read all about it here

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Much has been said about the Olympic torch relays and the fact that some people are calling for the torch bearers to boycott it to express solidarity with the Tibetans. I have a couple of things to say, things that seem to have been conveniently forgotten in all the politics and events of the past two weeks. And I will take the risk of being labeled heartless (and possibly leftist/communist etc., if the trolls get here).

I have constantly seen three stakeholders in this issue – the Chinese and the Tibetans are the first, while the Olympians and bystanders like this blogger make up the other two. Everyone has a personal stake in this matter, in varying levels.

The bystanders are the ones with almost zero stakes apart from a moral responsibility. But I am going to set aside the “moral responsibility to take sides” stake, since it is personal and I do believe it’s their own choice and by that measure, they should not attempt to foist it on others. Read the rest of this entry »