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Nusakambangan,
the prison island off Java
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A
foreign embassy official in Jakarta, who did not want to be named, has
confirmed that Indonesia is rounding off arrangements to execute
several foreign drug convicts, including four Nigerians, on Saturday.
The
official said some diplomats of the countries of the affected convicts had been
requested to travel to Nusakambangan, the prison island off Java,
where the inmates are to be executed. A
government official also said that authorities had ordered preparations for the
execution of 10 death-row inmates, including two Australians who have been the
subject of a high-profile campaign for clemency.
TheCable report continues:
Tony
Spontana, spokesman for the attorney-general’s office, confirmed that a letter
issued on Thursday by a deputy attorney-general, told prosecutors to “prepare
for and carry out the executions”.
“It’s
not a letter of notification to the convicts”, he said.
He
said convicts are typically notified of their executions three days in advance.
Spontana
said the 10 inmates would all be executed at the same time.
He
said the other drug inmates facing execution are four from Nigeria, and one
each from Indonesia, the Philippines and Brazil.
Spontana
said one convict, Martin Aderson, first identified by officials as Ghanaian, is
actually from Nigeria.
He
also said the attorney-general’s office was awaiting a verdict, due Friday, on
a case review request filed by the Indonesian convict, Zainal Abidin.
The
Australian government has repeatedly asked for clemency on behalf of its
nationals Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
Peter
Morrisey, a lawyer for the Australian pair, said he was concerned by the
letters, as he understood the legal process was not yet over.
“That
looks as if the attorney-general’s office is determined to press ahead and
hustle through.
“That’s
the zone we’re in now. We haven’t got the 72-hour knock but that could be
imminent’’, he added.
Julian
McMahon, another lawyer for the men, said the families of Sukumaran and Chan
were travelling to Indonesia, while some members were already there.
Meanwhile,
the European Union has criticized Indonesia’s plans to execute the convicts,
saying the death penalty is not a solution to the country’s growing drug
problem.
A
French citizen, Serge Atlaoui, is among the inmates facing the firing squad.
Federica
Mogherini, EU Foreign Policy Chief, said Indonesia’s rejections of retrials,
including in the case of a French citizen, bring closer the regrettable
prospect of further executions.
The governments of the
Philippines, France and Brazil have also appealed to Indonesia President Joko
Widodo to show mercy and spare their respective citizens.
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