Garuda Says Its Planes Will Not Transfer Bali Nine Duo to Place of Execution

Jakarta Globe, Feb 13, 2015

Garuda Indonesia released a statement on Feb. 13 denying it would be
involved in transferrig Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. (ID Photo)

Jakarta. State-owned flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has released a statement saying it will not be involved in transporting two Australian drug convicts from Bali to a maximum security prison in Central Java where the pair are expected to be executed.

“With reference to the news on Friday 13, February, 2015 regarding the planned transfer of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Garuda Indonesia would like to state that the airline will not be involved with this matter and will not be transferring Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran on our aircraft,” Garuda said in a statement released on Friday.

“We also would like to convey that Garuda Indonesia has never made any commitment to transfer the convicts with our planes,” the statement said.

Media reports in Indonesia indicated that Garuda had agreed to a role in transferring Chan and Sukumaran, two members of the so-called Bali Nine who are due to face the firing squad in the near future after President Joko Widodo rejected their appeals for clemency.

Chan and Sukumaran who are currently being detained in Kerobokan penitentiary in Denpasar reportedly will be transfered to Nusakambangan, a strong indicator that their execution may be approaching.

Sukumaran, 33 and Chan, 31, were arrested when attempting to smuggle eight kilograms of heroin from Bali to Australia in 2005.

Related Article:

Australians Could Boycott Indonesia Over Executions: Foreign Minister