By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania 

 

Jakarta, Indonesia

Two Australian nationals are scheduled for execution in the coming days. Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan are both members of the “Bali Nine” drug smuggling gang. Chan is thought to be the ringleader of the gang and authorities arrested him for attempting to have four others smuggle 8 Kilograms of heroin onto a flight out of Indonesia. Chan was arrested attempting to board a flight to Sydney, he did to have any drugs on him but he was later named as the mastermind of the plot. Sukumaran was also linked to the heroin plot and was later arrested at a hotel in Indonesia. Both men were convicted and sentenced to death, Indonesia has imposed the death sentence in drug offense in light of the serious toll drugs and drug violence is taking on the country. In December six convicted drug smugglers were executed by firing squad including a Brazilian and a Dutch national.

The Australian government has reached out to Indonesian President Widodo in an attempt to halt the execution. There have been pleas from both Prime Minister Abbott and Foreign Minister Bishop but President Widodo has refused to give clemency for drug cases. In an eleventh hour attempt to halt the execution the Australian government offered Indonesia a prisoner swap but the Indonesians have reported that no such swap will occur. A spokesperson for the Indonesian government stated that Indonesia does not have any laws or legislation that allow for any kind of prisoner swap.

Australian government officials and politicians attended a candle light vigil early Thursday morning in honor of the two men. Foreign Minister Bishop addressed the gathering stating that she had reminded the Indonesia government that legal avenues remained open and appealed for mercy on behalf of the two men’s families. Prime Minister Abbott stated that Australians are sick in their guts over the execution of these two men. He further stated that Australians abhor drug crime but also abhor the death penalty and while these two prisoners deserved punishment they do not deserve to be executed.

The Australian government has also argued that the two men have been rehabilitated in prison. Both prisoners have been in Indonesian prison for the past decade and over this time they claim to be reformed. Sukumaran studies fine arts and has set up a class for his fellow inmates. While Chan has been using his spirituality to counsel other inmates and help them deal with drug addiction. Regardless of the claims the Australian government makes, the Indonesia government has shown no intention of halting the impending executions and if they do not then both prisoners will face a firing squad in the very near future.

For more information, please see: 

CNN — Australian Prisoners Just Days Away From Execution by Indonesian Firing Squad — 4 March, 2015

CNN — Indonesia Dismisses Eleventh Hour Attempt to Save Bali 9 Smugglers — 5 March, 2015

Reuters — Australia Seeks Indonesia Prisoner Swap as Execution Looms — 4 March, 2015

Reuters — Indonesia Rejects Australian Proposal of Prisoner Swap for Death Row Pair — 5 March, 2015