Jakarta Globe, Feb 12, 2015
Jakarta. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi is reported to have turned down a last-ditch attempt by the government of Australia to spare two of its citizens, convicted of drug trafficking, from the firing squad before the end of the month.
Jakarta. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi is reported to have turned down a last-ditch attempt by the government of Australia to spare two of its citizens, convicted of drug trafficking, from the firing squad before the end of the month.
Myuran
Sukumaran, 33, and Andrew Chan, 31, are among of batch of mostly foreign
death-row inmates scheduled to face the firing squad after their requests for
clemency were rejected by President Joko Widodo.
“I have
been talking to [Australian Foreign Minister] Julie Bishop twice, our
communication is consistent,” Retno said on Thursday as quoted by Indonesian
news portal Detik.com.
“I have
explained Indonesia’s policy. This isn’t about Indonesia against other
countries, it’s about Indonesia against crime,” she added.
“In the
past, Indonesia was only used as a transit point for drug trafficking, but now
we are the biggest market in Asia and third-biggest in the world. We are in an
emergency situation.”
Indonesia
is not a larger market for illegal drugs than China or India, two other
countries in Asia. More people die from road accidents and smoking than are
killed by drugs in Indonesia.
Bishop
previously made a statement urging the Indonesian government to show mercy for
Sukumaran and Chan, who were found guilty of attempting to smuggle more than
eight kilograms of heroin out of Bali in 2005.
A lawyer
for the pair, Todung Mulya Lubis, said his clients would challenge the
presidential decree rejecting the clemency. However, Justice Minister Yasonna
Laoly said the challenge would not be recognized under Indonesian law.
Indonesia
has faced strong criticism from the international community and human rights
groups for resuming the executions of convicted drug traffickers, while
President Joko has been criticized for using fallacious data to claim that up
to 50 Indonesians die every day from drug abuse.
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