Indonesia gives 72-hour notice to Australian death-row duo
JAKARTA — Indonesia has given two Australian citizens on death row as little as 72 hours notice before their execution, according to Mr Tony Spontana, spokesman for the attorney general’s office.
JAKARTA — Indonesia has given two Australian citizens on death row as little as 72 hours notice before their execution, according to Mr Tony Spontana, spokesman for the attorney general’s office.
Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are among the so-called Bali Nine arrested on the Indonesian resort island in 2005 for attempting to carry 8kg of heroin through the airport. They face execution by firing squad, which may take place after three days or longer, Mr Spontana said by text message today (April 25).
Indonesia earlier summoned Australian authorities to a meeting today in relation to its two citizens on death row, leading Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to say she’s concerned their executions will proceed.
“I understand that representatives of other nations who also have citizens on death row have also been asked to attend this meeting,” Ms Bishop told reporters in Brussels. “Therefore I fear the worst.”
President Joko Widodo has repeatedly said he won’t show mercy to convicted drug smugglers and his government rejected Australia’s proposal for a prisoner swap. Australia, which insists Chan and Sukumaran have been reformed, has made more than 50 appeals for clemency for the pair.
CONTINUE APPEALS
“I fear that Indonesia will seek to proceed with the execution of the two Australian citizens,” Ms Bishop said, saying she would continue appeals to the Indonesian leader. “I am deeply and profoundly concerned by this.”
The clients’ embassies had been summoned to the meeting in Cilacap, near the island of Nusakambangan where the executions are due to take place, lawyer Michael O’Connor, who helps to represent Chan and Sukumaran, said by phone from Melbourne.
Indonesia’s Supreme Court is expected to hear a case on April 27 regarding another of the condemned prisoners, Mr O’Connor said. According to the criteria that the nation’s legal system has set, “they would say there’s no further impediment to proceeding with the executions after that Monday hearing”, he said.
Indonesian attorney-general office’s Spontana didn’t comment on other foreign prisoners on death row. BLOOMBERG