Johnny Depp Amber Heard Offer Weird Apology

The legal battle between the Australian government and the actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, accused of illegally introduced their two small dogs in the country, ended on April 18, with a very lenient sentence, a reminder of the very legislation strictly on the “biosecurity” and a rather … odd video.

Amber Heard was prosecuted for knowingly incorrectly filled detail Customs and concealed the existence of her Yorkshire terriers arrived via a private flight, Australia, where her husband was turning the 5 ^th installment of  Pirates of the Caribbean in April 2015. The Australia imposes strict regulations concerning animals entering its territory, to avoid the spread of disease.

After  a year of threats, carried ignored warnings and statements through the media , Heard had agreed to appear in court, apologizing and speaking of a misunderstanding.

Humiliation and “biosecurity”

Verdict: A month suspended sentence and $ 1 000 fine. The charge of “illegally imported animals”, which could be worth up to ten years in prison, has been abandoned.

In return, the two actors have pledged to make a video to praise the natural beauty of Australia and its fragile balance that could destroy all illegal introduction of fauna. As summarized by the judge responsible for the case, the 40-second clip“would be more beneficial to the country” a simple sentence.

On one hand, she was right. The video, on-line on the night of Sunday to Monday, has largely turned to social networks, starting with Australia and  falling on the son of users around the world who were beginning their week. The media have relayed commented and mocked.

 

Because images resemble those of a video of a hostage: the Hollywood couple, sitting in a room reading a script in a monotone with a hardly concealed fatigue and near zero emotion. The text, imposed by the Australian government, is very lyrical. He praises “the treasure of plants, animals and unique people”  of Australia and the importance of the laws of “biosecurity”.

The contrast is comical when the two actors recite the difficulty. When one speaks, we prefer to look the other, which fixed length the camera, imagining what he thinks.

We listen only to what they say. The moral of the video could be: this is what happens when you violate the laws in Australia. It humiliates you on the Internet.

“I did not at all ashamed”

A man who loved the digital contrition exercise was the Minister of Agriculture and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Barnaby Joyce, who leads past year, the legal and media battle against Depp, Heard and their two dogs. The one who had threatened to expel or even euthanize two small animals because they had a “huge risk” throughout Australia.

“I did not at all ashamed,” Has he said after the verdict , having participated in the recording of the video, and after having quickly posted on his Facebook page . “I think not that this is something they would have done on their own. “

“I want it to be seen as widely as possible (…), the more it is viewed, the more people will know our biosecurity requirements and when they come to our country, they will know that this is something that Australians are completely intransigent. “

Coincidentally, Johnny Depp mumbles at the end of the video pretty much the same as Barnaby Joyce, a man he had trained day “Australian potbellied and sweaty” . But the more succinctly, the overwhelming voice of exasperation:

“If you follow Australian law, they will tell you very strongly. Declare all when you come to Australia.”

Australia’s quarantine laws

• Live animals and plants, plant material, animal products and some food from overseas cannot be brought into the country without government permission because they can introduce some of the world’s most serious pests and diseases.
• Those who flout the rules face fines of more than A$66,000 ($51,000; £36,000) and risk 10 years jail.
• As an example of how serious it can be, in 1995 a 500km (310-mile) by 200km quarantine zone was established in northern Queensland just to control foreign fruit fly maggots.