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Execution of “Bali Nine” Convicts on Death Row outside Bali: Pastika
Execution of “Bali Nine” Convicts on Death Row outside Bali: Pastika
DENPASAR ~
Bali provincial governor Made Mangku Pastika has hoped the Attorney General’s Office not to choose Bali as location to conduct execution of two Australian convicts on death row.
“We hope the (execution) is not in Bali. Just a call, because I cannot decide nor reject it as this is the unitary state of Indonesia,” Pastika stated on Monday.
The two Australian convicts on the death row; Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. The governor is of the view that if the execution is held in Bali, it is feared to leave psychological effect to the Australian citizens (in Bali).
“There are a great number of Australian people in Bali. Many visitors in Bali are Australian tourists, and they consider Bali as their own home” Pastika said.
Previously, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has rejected a clemency plea from one of the nine Australians, known as “Bali Nine,” convicted of drug offense, an official confirmed here Thursday.
The President’s decision rejecting Andrew Chan’s plea for clemency has been stated in presidential decree dated January 17, 2015, Tony Tribagus Spontatna, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, said onThursday.
The date of Chan’s execution has not been decided yet. Earlier, on December 30, 2014, Myuran Sukumaran’s clemency plea was rejected.
Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will be executed at the same time as they were nabbed together.
Meanwhile Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the two members of the so-called Bali Nine who were arrested at Bali’s Denpasar airport in 2005 for attempting to smuggle 8 kg (18 lb) of heroin to Australia were reformed characters who had helped rehabilitate other prisoners.
“The prerogative of mercy should be extended to them,” Abbott said in a statement. “Australia opposes the death penalty at home and abroad.” Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who took office in October, has pledged no clemency for drug offenders, drawing criticism from rights activists at home and abroad.
Abbott said he and Foreign Minister Julia Bishop had made direct representations to their Indonesian counterparts and “are continuing to make every possible effort through the most effective channels” to stop the executions of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.
Bishop said earlier this week she would not rule out recalling the Australian ambassador should the executions be carried out.
“This is an unimaginably difficult time for the families of these young men,” Abbott said. “I spoke with both families today and will ensure the government continues to support them.” Indonesia has a record of imposing severe penalties for drug trafficking, resuming executions in 2013 after a five-year gap.
Indonesia currently has some 64 inmates on death row. The government plans to carry out executions every month.
Bali Nine refers to nine Australians caught on April 17, 2005 in Bali attempting to smuggle 8.2 kilograms of heroin.
The nine people are Andrew Chan, Myuran Sukumaran, Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Renae Lawrence, Tach Duc Than Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush and Martin Stephens.
The district court in Denpasar, Bali, has sentenced Lawrence, Czugaj, Stephens and Rush to life in prison and Sukumaran and Chan to death.
13 Comments
Please do not execute those boys. They have made mistakes, but do not believe they deserve to be executed. I agree with the tough stance of the president, but not death. I even believe that alcohol should be banned. We all have been young men, including the president. Young men make mistakes and take risks. The male mind is not fully developed at 20. They do stupid things. Please, they are not angels, but need a second chance.
Any person who carry drugs is a crime and they aware of the risks into the country but there no justification why any person should be send to execution. I don’t think they understand the word called Humanity! Technically, if they were disallowed any clemency or failed to avoid death penalty then it called murder. I dont think they reliased that a crime especially if they involve firing squad, they are technically are charged to kill an innocent person. The judical system is inconsistent and appalling. It is a total disgrace for a country when other muderer get away, where the justice!
It’s easy to murder and kill –
Indonesia can either take the high-road OR simply join the other nations that kill.
Simple as that – the choice is for Joko to make.
I don’t understand how the courts can give life imprisonment to the ringleaders of a ‘successful’ terrorist plot in Bali that killed 202 people. But an ‘unsuccessful’ drug smuggling operation in Bali that killed 0 people results in the death penalty!
With all due respect to the Presidents decision of Indonesia to execute people for dealing with drugs I would like to see proof that the death penalty really works
Being of Muslim religion and showing my sincere respect to other religions that have the same verse there is a belief that one who makes a genuine mistake can ask me GOD the almighty for forgiveness and they shall be forgiven and so dear Mr President, why can you not forgive these people on death row that have admitted that they have made a silly and stupid mistake and offer them another form of punishment that does not include death
All I say and hope that by your actions to carry out this execution deters future drug trafficking in your country
“Indonesia currently has some 64 inmates on death row. The government plans to carry out executions every month.”
Use your travelling feet to make a difference and don’t vist the country!
As a person from Australia and extremely fond of Bali and Indonesia all l can only say to people from other countries is stop visiting Bali and Indonesia –
hopefully Mr Jokowi opens his heart and his mind.
I love Bali and its people but please don’t kill these two young men who have shown remorse and turned their lives around. Life imprisonment yes but not murder. Let them continue to help reform other prisoners. The President should be concentrating more on Free education for its youth and rehabilitation of their prisoners to give them skills for work so they can give back to society
Sadly I don’t know if I ever want to go back to Bali if these two young lives are taken.
You excellency Mr President
Please show mercy to the reformed death row convicts. Spending 10 years in prison with constant dear of execution any time equals to dying many deaths everyday. They have suffered a lot. Law needs to give second chance to people who have shown remorse and who have changed their lives around. Every life is precious. Only God and nature should have right to take away any life, not the human beings, and definitely not expected from respected law. To solve the drug problem in country, it needs to be solved at roots. Educating and supporting youngsters, looking at the factors causing them to start taking drugs will help the problem more effectively than executing people. I hope Indonesian people will also seek the same from government and Mr President. Forgiveness is a great gesture.Kindly reconsider your decision. God bless you and your country.
This same Indonesia recently murdered two Nigerians in the name of execution on drug peddling claims. I think Nigeria should also recall her ambassador from this murderous country without any further delay.
Indonesia is blood thirsty especially this their President called Joko J Widodo (sounds like a mafia lord)
Capital punishment is the state’s terminology for murder. Individuals murder each other, but states sentence individuals to ‘capital punishment.’ The demand to end capital punishment and prohibit murder stems from opposition to intentional, deliberate and planned murder of one by the other. That a state or ruling political force is responsible does not make the slightest difference to the fact that we are dealing with intentional murder. Capital punishment is the most deplorable and appalling form of intentional murder since a political authority, publicly, with prior notice, on behalf of society, with the utmost legitimacy and ruthlessness, decides to murder someone, and announces the date and time of the event.
I have never been to Bali but I respect the fact that you have laws that you need to implement. With all respect to your President I do however feel the execution of these two young men will not achieve lowering the amount of drugs that come into and through your Country. In defence of these men, they were not in Bali to hurt any of your citizens. They were bringing the drugs back into Australia. They could of been arrested here and served lengthy prison time as it would of been the people of Australia that would have had the problem had any of these drugs got past Customs here. Australian custom officials would have been alerted and arrests would have been made. If your President showed clemency to these two men , it does not mean he has failed in the eyes of his citizens. It will show that he is a Man of his word and that word is that he values young lives. They can become productive members of society, Im not saying release them but if you spare their lives they may end up saving the lives of many young people who pass through your prison system as they would be helping them to become useful members of society and possibly save them from entering back into the prison system and becoming drug users. With all respect
Being an Australian, I have been following Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumarans epic struggle and tussle to avoid the firing squad. like many many Australians I am finding it very hard to except and believe that these two Australians and many more people on death row will be executed for being silly, stupid and irresponsible, and would like to share my thoughts
If these two Australians were found guilty why put them thru the agonising pain of appeals that already have a pre determined outcome that is already 100 precent non favourable to the convicted person, if the system has pre determined that they should be executed why wait years to execute them and if the system allows that many years to pass before they are executed then the system should allow and see for it self one final time if the person has been rehabilitated by adding the positives to its negatives its really easy maths
Dear Dear MR PRESIDENT Lets not forget one thing in this world that we live in is that these people currently on death row like you and me have a Mother and Father and I remember in my child hood days that when I did something wrong or was found guilty of something that I should have not done I was punished but not by execution but by other forms of but the most important positive thing of all was that I was forgiven and that does make a difference so please find it in your heart and I am sure you will to save these two Australians and others on death row from execution
Finally the Australian Government and all the people in high places have tried and haven’t made a difference so I really doubt what I have shared will, but at least I can sleep easy thoughts knowing that done what I can to save these convicted people on death row
To The President of Indonesia, Im not being rude , but please save these boys.They have done wrong ,but they were two young.They have paid the prize but killing is not the answer.Punishment in jail for life would be proper.Would it be the colour of their skin ,or because they have a culture behind them ?.They are our kids.Australian police knew what they have done.They have to killed just like land owners in Australia .They have no legs to stand on here, but please they have a culture and colour ,so plese give them a chance.