Indonesia says it will not back down from executions.
Indonesia has announced it is determined to proceed with the execution of eight foreigners, including one Brazilian, convicted of drug trafficking, despite global protests led by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Indonesian authorities have notified the eight foreigners that the executions, by firing squad, will take place soon; the prisoners have already been transferred to the maximum-security prison of Nusakambangan, where they will remain until their execution.
From the Lusa News Agency - Indonesia announced on Sunday (26) that it is determined to proceed with the execution of eight foreigners, including a Brazilian, convicted of drug trafficking, despite worldwide protests led by the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Ban Ki-moon.
Yesterday (25), Indonesian authorities notified the eight foreigners – from Australia, Nigeria, Brazil and the Philippines – that executions by firing squad will take place soon. An Indonesian prisoner will also be executed at the same time. The Indonesian Attorney General’s office stated that Frenchman Serge Atlaoui, also sentenced to death for drug trafficking, was removed from this list of imminent executions, after much pressure from the French government.
The prisoners have already been transferred to the maximum security prison in Nusakambangan, where they will remain until their execution.
The Jakarta government announced on Saturday that the executions could take place within three days. The foreign governments involved have already asked Indonesia for clemency for their citizens. The requests have been denied.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon "appealed to the Indonesian government not to execute, as it has announced, the ten prisoners on death row for alleged drug-related crimes," according to a statement released yesterday by the organization.
"According to international law, in countries where the death penalty is in effect, the law should only be applied to serious crimes, such as premeditated murder," the text says, adding that "drug-related offenses are not normally included in this category of very serious crimes."