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Aussie PM pleads with Indonesia to call off execution
| Published: | 6 Mar at 9 AM |
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Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has urged Indonesia to call off the executions of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.
The Australian nationals have been imprisoned in Indonesia for 10 years after being convicted of drug trafficking. The Southeast Asian nation has a strict policy on drugs and the pair are due to be executed by firing squad in the coming days.
However, Abbott has pleaded for Indonesia to reverse its decision, noting that they were now both fully rehabilitated. He said that Australia “abhors drug crime” but it is against the death penalty, adding that the men had undergone an extensive rehabilitation programme since being convicted.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Bill Shorten said Australia didn’t want Indonesia to forgive or let Sukumaran or Chan go free, but insisted executing them would solve nothing.
The comments came shortly after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop offered to expatriate three convicted Indonesian drug criminals in Australia if the lives of the two were spared. She said she has requested Indonesia pauses its preparations and considered other options.
The Indonesian Foreign Mnister responded by saying she would pass on the request to President Joko Widodo.
The Australian nationals have been imprisoned in Indonesia for 10 years after being convicted of drug trafficking. The Southeast Asian nation has a strict policy on drugs and the pair are due to be executed by firing squad in the coming days.
However, Abbott has pleaded for Indonesia to reverse its decision, noting that they were now both fully rehabilitated. He said that Australia “abhors drug crime” but it is against the death penalty, adding that the men had undergone an extensive rehabilitation programme since being convicted.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Bill Shorten said Australia didn’t want Indonesia to forgive or let Sukumaran or Chan go free, but insisted executing them would solve nothing.
The comments came shortly after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop offered to expatriate three convicted Indonesian drug criminals in Australia if the lives of the two were spared. She said she has requested Indonesia pauses its preparations and considered other options.
The Indonesian Foreign Mnister responded by saying she would pass on the request to President Joko Widodo.
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