Indonesia Executes 6 Drug Convicts, President Rejects Pleas For Clemency

Jonah Hicap Sunday, January 18, 2015

Death convict Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira of Brazil talks behind the bars of a holding cell at Tangerang court, near Jakarta, in this June 8, 2004 file photo. An Indonesian court has meted death sentences to him and five others. They are set to face a firing squad on Sunday, Jan. 18. | REUTERS

Indonesia executed by firing squad on Sunday, Jan. 18, six drug convicts – one Indonesian and five foreigners – whose death sentences had been confirmed by the courts and whose petitions for clemency had been rejected by President Joko Widodo.

Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo earlier announced on Thursday that preparations for the executions have been completed. "Preparation for implementation is almost final," Prasetyo said in a press conference.

Human rights organizations and foreign governments with jurisdiction over the convicts have appealed to the Indonesian government to stop the executions.

Prasetyo said the death row convicts consisted of four men and two women. They were Marcho Archer Cardoso Moreira, 53, from Brazil; Namona Denis, 48, from Malawi; Daniel Enemuo, 38, from Nigeria; Ang Kiem Soei, 62, Dutch citizen; Tran Thi Bich Hanh, 37, from Vietnam; and Rani Andriani, also known as Melisa Aprilia, 39, from Indonesia.

He said the petitions for clemency from the six prisoners were rejected by President Joko Widodo last Dec. 30.

Five of them were executed in Nusa Kambangan while the remaining convict was executed in Boyolali, both in Central Java province.

Amnesty International had appealed to Indonesia to stop the executions.

"These executions must be stopped immediately. The death penalty is a human rights violation, and it is shocking that the Indonesian authorities are looking to put to death six people this Sunday," said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International's Research Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

It said Indonesia did not carry out any execution last year but 20 are scheduled this year.

Amnesty International said drug-related offenses do not meet the criteria of "most serious crimes" that can be meted the death penalty under international law.

"It would be a huge setback if the government goes ahead with its plans to execute as many as 20 people during the year. Tackling rising crime rates is a legitimate goal of President Widodo's administration, but the death penalty is not the answer and does not work as a deterrent to crime," said Abbott.

The organization opposes the death penalty in all cases.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/indonesia-stop-imminent-execution-six-people-firing-squad-2015-01-15