UPDATE - Indonesia to execute drug convicts tonight

UPDATES THROUGHOUT

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) – Indonesia will carry out its latest execution of drug smugglers late Thursday evening, according to a relative of a death row inmate.

Among those to be shot by firing squad are thought to be nationals of Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Sierre Leone.

Earlier Thursday, 14 coffins were seen being transported to a notorious island prison, Nusakambangan, where the executions are to take place

Pratikno, who like many Indonesians uses one name, was quoted by kompas.com as saying, “yes. It is final, executions will be carried out tonight.”

Family members and lawyers of those set to be executed gathered at the prosecutors office in Cilacap, the port town on Java island nearest Nusakambangan.

The lawyer for Freddy Budiman, an Indonesian who authorities have accused of coordinating drug trafficking operations from behind bars, told Anadolu Agency that his client had prepared to face the firing squad, but as a legal advisor he had persuaded Budiman to ask for clemency from President Joko Widodo.

"It is already too late to seek a pardon, but we still try. Freddy is resigned to whatever the outcome," Untung Sunaryo said Thursday, adding that Budiman expressed regret for his illegal actions.

The last wish of Budiman, who was sentenced to death in 2012 for smuggling 1.4 million ecstasy pills, is to be buried in his hometown of Surabaya on Java and for his family to visit Nusakambangan before his execution.

On Wednesday, Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo refused to reveal the date when 14 convicted drug smugglers would be executed, but did not deny the possibility it could be carried out by the end of this week.

He declined to reveal the names and nationalities of the inmates, but said all were being held in isolation cells in Nusakambangan.

Troy Latuconsina, the lawyer of a mother-of-two sentenced to death in 2003 after being caught carrying 1.1 kilograms of heroin at a Jakarta airport, told Anadolu Agency on Thursday that his client’s appeal for clemency had been registered at the Tangerang District Court.

"Sir [Widodo], I really regret the ignorance with which I violated the law," Indonesian Merry Utami wrote.

Local rights groups including the National Commission for Women have called for Utami’s execution to be postponed, arguing that she is a victim of human trafficking.

The chief of presidential staff, however, said that while the Commission’s recommendation had been received, it would be difficult to grant.

"Because all legal processes have finalized, it is not easy to respond to requests for suspension of the death penalty," Teten Masduki was quoted as saying by kompas.com Thursday.

Earlier this week, Indonesia tightened security around Nusakambangan, closing Wijaya Pura dock in Cilacap while authorities prohibited people visiting incarcerated family members.

On the two occasions in 2015 that Indonesia executed death row inmates on the island similar suspensions occurred.

The European Union called on Indonesia not to proceed with the execution in a statement, saying it “opposes the death penalty for all kinds of cases and without exception, and has consistently called for the universal abolition of the death penalty".

Jakarta-based human rights organization Impartial also criticized the plans, saying they showed lack of commitment to upholding human rights.

The foreign ministry, however, insisted Thursday that executions of drug smugglers would continue and asked that other countries respect its law.

"The death penalty is carried out by law enforcement and we reiterate that the death penalty is not contrary to international law," spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir told Anadolu Agency.

"Just like Indonesia which always respects the laws of other countries, we hope other countries also respect our law."

He said that the death penalty has nothing to do with bilateral relations with the convicts’ countries of origin “as a citizen of Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and India”.

"I emphasize that all the legal rights and the legal processes have been granted and settled by the state," Nasir underlined.

According to a document seen by an Anadolu Agency reporter that appeared to be official, the death row inmates include: Obina Nwajagu (Nigeria), Ozias Sibanda (Nigeria), Michael Titus Igweh (Nigeria), Humprey Ejike (Nigeria), Eugene Ape (Nigeria), Zulfiqar Ali (Pakistan), Merry Utami (Indonesia), Freddy Budiman (Indonesia), Pujo Lestari (Indonesia), Agus Hadi (Indonesia), Gudrip Singh (India), Fredderik Luttar (Zimbabwe), Seck Osmane (Senegal) and Okonkwo Nonso Kingsley (Sierra Leone).

Indonesia has some of the harshest anti-narcotic laws in the world. Widodo declared a "drug emergency" last year, on the grounds that use reportedly kills around 40-50 people in the country daily.

Last year’s executions were heavily criticized by the international community, with some countries -- whose nationals had been put to death -- withdrawing ambassadors from Jakarta.