By Max Bartels
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania
Jakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia is in the process of performing more executions of convicted drug smugglers, many of who are foreign nationals. Indonesia has recently clamped down on the drug smuggling trade and resolved to pass more strict sentences. Two Australian citizens have been convicted by the Indonesian courts and sentenced to death. Both Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are being held on death row on the Indonesian island of Bali. They are member of the “Bali Nine” and were attempting to smuggle heroin from Indonesia into Australia.
The Australian Government has been pleading with the Indonesian government and the President Joko Widodo. Over 100 Australian federal politicians have written to the Indonesian Ambassador pleading for the lives of both prisoners. The letters ask that the sentences for both convicts be commuted to appropriate sentences so that they can be deported back to Australia. The politicians letters all make clear that they understand the terrible impact the drug trade has on Indonesian society but asks them to consider rehabilitation and to think of prisoners suffering and their families suffering. The letters also mention that the tip that led to both the arrests was given by the Australian Federal Police and that the harm of the crime was intended for Australia and not on Indonesia.
Andrew Chan’s mother traveled to Bali to visit her son on death row. She made statements to the press pleading clemency for her son’s life in the hope that President Widodo would hear her plea. Both Ms. Chan and Myuran Sukumaran’s mother, traveled to Jakarta to meet with Indonesia’s Human Rights Commission to get support against the death penalty. Ms. Sukumaran pleaded that her son is not the same man who committed the crime 10 years ago and pointed out the differences from other capital cases that Indonesia has executed recently, including that the drugs were meant to be smuggled into Australia.
Indonesia has now informed Australia that the executions will be delayed. Indonesia’s Justice and Human Rights Minister cited the current political situation as well as conflict between corruption investigators and the National Police as the reason for the delay. The National Police is known to be the most corrupt government agency in Indonesia. It remains to be seen if the Indonesian government will carry out the executions but they have recently executed foreign nationals convicted of drug smuggling charges without regard to pleas from foreign states or families.
For more information, please see:
