Indonesia has asked foreign embassies to send representatives to the prison island of Nusakambangan this weekend to visit the prisoners awaiting the death penalty for drug smuggling.
It is unknown when the 9th foreign prisoners and an Indonesian citizen would face a firing squad, but the government has not given notice 72 hours for execution, as required by law.
Among the drugs convict is a citizen of Australia, Brazil, France, and Nigeria. Indonesia tough stance regarding the death penalty for drug trafficking had disrupted relations with all these countries.
President Joko Widodo is a strong supporter the execution againts drug traffickers, and said the country is facing a state of emergency drugs.
In January, Indonesia executed six people guilty of drug smuggling.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Indonesia had notified her government that the executions of the two Australian men would be "scheduled imminently."
"Nothing can be gained and much will be lost if these two young Australians are executed," she said in a statement, urging clemency and that legal challenges still outstanding should be heard.
Meanwhile, a temporary reprieve was granted to Serge Atlaoui, a French citizen also imprisoned on drug charges, a French embassy official said on Saturday. It was not clear why his execution was postponed.
"We remain extremely cautious. Everything can change from one day to the next," said Richard Sedillot, Atlaoui's lawyer. "I am torn between an extreme sadness to learn that other [people] condemned could be executed and the relief to learn that the man I was defending for eight years could at this stage be spared."
Marches in support of Atlaoui took place Saturday in Paris and Metz, eastern France, his hometown. France has told Indonesia the execution could damage relations, while Australia has pleaded repeatedly for clemency for Chan and Sukumaran.
"I again respectfully call on the president of Indonesia to reconsider his refusal to grant clemency. It is not too late for a change of heart," Bishop said.
Outside the maximum-security prison of Nusakambangan, an Australian diplomat and a lawyer for the two men displayed a self-portrait painted by Sukumaran to reporters. On the back was written: "The 72 hours just started."
Share this
EmoticonEmoticon