Indonesia executes 8 drug smugglers by firing squad

[Remus 54]

(CNN)Australia has recalled its ambassador to Indonesia for consultations after two Australians were among eight d--g smugglers executed by firing squad early Wednesday.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott called the executions "cruel and unnecessary" because both men, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, had been "fully rehabilitated" during a decade in prison.

Abbott didn't say what permanent actions, if any, would be taken against Indonesia. "This is a dark moment in the relationship, but I'm sure the relationship will be restored," he said.

http://ht.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big//world/2015/04/28/australia-indonesia-executions-response.seven-network_cnn_iphone_cell.mp4

 

One of the men's Indonesian lawyers, Todung Mulya Lubis tweeted his apologies. "I failed. I lost," he said. "I'm sorry."

 

Six other men were put to death, including four Nigerians, a Brazilian and an Indonesian.

The Indonesian government had announced that nine prisoners would be executed, but Filipina Mary Jane Veloso was spared, at least for now.

Her ecstatic mother Celia Veloso told CNN: "We are so happy, so happy. I thought I had lost my daughter already but God is so good. Thank you to everyone who helped us."

Philippines embassy officials said Veloso would be returned to Yogyakarta prison in Central Java later on Wednesday.

Filipina death row prisoner Mary Jane Veloso seen in traditional dress to mark Kartini Day at Yogyakarta prison, April 21, 2015.

 

Veloso spared from the firing squad

Mother-of-two Veloso was supposed to be shot along with the rest of the condemned prisoners, but a last-minute development in her case saw her execution postponed.

Attorney-General spokesman Tony Spontana said Veloso's execution had been postponed because of the Philippine president's request in connection with the human trafficking suspect surrendering herself in the Philippines.

He said Veloso was required to provide her testimony.

Veloso, a maid who was arrested smuggling 2.6 kilograms of heroin into Yogyakarta, always maintained she was innocent and was not aware there was d--gs in the lining of her suitcase.

She said she was set up by her godsister Kristina, who allegedly bought her a suitcase and new clothes in Malaysia and told her a job as a domestic helper was waiting for her in Indonesia.

Veloso's recruiter, Maria Kristina Sergio, reportedly surrendered to authorities in the Philippines on April 28, the day Veloso was due to be executed.

Mr Spontana said Veloso would need to give evidence in the court case.

 

The other inmates who were executed were Nigerians Raheem Salami, Silvester Obiekwe Nwolise and Okwudil Oyatanze. Martin Anderson -- who was initially identified as Ghanian -- was actually Nigerian as well. Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte -- who was said to be mentally ill -- was also executed. The only Indonesian on the condemned list was Zainal Abidin.

Frenchman Serge Atlaoui's execution has been delayed while a court considers a legal challenge.

 

No reprieve for Australians

Candlelight vigils were held for Chan and Sukumaran in the hours ahead of the expected execution. The men's legal teams had been fighting for years for a stay, but it wasn't to be.

The men -- then aged in their early twenties -- were arrested in 2005 as part of the "Bali Nine," a d--g smuggling gang that intended to import 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) of heroin from Bali to Australia. They failed.

 

Brintha Sukumaran, center, sister of death row prisoner Myuran Sukumaran, cries upon arrival at the ferry port in Cilacap on April 28.

 

Protesters light candles outside the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on April 28 for those scheduled to be executed.

 

Supporters of Filipina Mary Jane Veloso, who was scheduled for execution, hold a candlelight vigil in front of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Philippine son April 28.

 

The pair were transported with other prisoners to Indonesia's so-called "execution island" in March, and after being given 72-hours notice of their execution on Saturday, Chan married his longtime girlfriend, Febyanti Herewila, on Monday in prison.

The executions of Sukumaran and Chan came despite the fact that both this week received a court date of May 12 to hear an outstanding legal challenge.

On Tuesday, lawyers for the men also said Indonesia's Judicial Commission had yet to properly investigate claims of corruption during their original trial and sentencing. They said three of the men's Indonesian lawyers had been summoned to attend the commission on May 7.

However, before the executions, Indonesia insisted that all legal avenues had closed.

On Tuesday, the prisoners' families were heard wailing as they boarded a boat for the execution site. Visiting hours were extended until 8 p.m. to give them extra time before they were asked to leave.

The death penalty

Under Indonesian law, the death penalty is carried out by a 12-man firing squad, although only three guns are loaded with live ammunition.

Prisoners are given the choice of whether to stand or sit, and whether they want to wear a blindfold, hood or nothing. The shots -- aimed at the heart -- are fired from between 5 and 10 meters (16 to 33 feet), according to Amnesty International.

After the executions, the rights group released a statement condemning them as "reprehensible" and issue fresh calls for a moratorium on the death penalty.

Indonesia fighting 'd--gs crisis'

While the Bali Nine have garnered much international attention, their punishment is part of a larger government effort to combat illegal d--g trafficking.

Indonesian President Widodo has insisted that Indonesia would not be swayed by appeals for clemency because the country is dealing with a "d--gs crisis." He told CNN in January that clemency would not be extended to d--g traffickers, leading to an appeal from Chan and Sukumaran that their cases hadn't been properly considered.

Lawyers for the two men said they underwent radical rehabilitation during their 10 years in Kerobokan prison and were helping to counsel and support other inmates.

Chan was ordained as a Christian minister who led prayer meetings, while Sukumaran became an accomplished painter and established his own art classes inside the Bali prison.

Foreigners executed

The Indonesian government didn't confirm until late Tuesday that the executions were to go ahead.

Preparations were clearly underway earlier that day, with the arrival of ambulances at the port where boats leave to go to Nusa Kambangan island where the prisoners were being held.

Images showed individual crosses bearing the prisoners' names and the date April 29, 2015.

Families were in little doubt as to what lay ahead.

When reports of his death emerged, Sukumaran's cousin tweeted: "I love you more than you can imagine. Your legacy will live on. I promise. Save me a place in heaven."

 

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/28/asia/indonesia-firing-squad-executions/

 

I am saddened by the turn of events for the prisoners. :( If only they would give lifetime sentence for the prisoners, it would be enough to stop if not, lessen the d--g trafficking in the country without sparing human lives.

Your thoughts on this one? Is it justifiable to kill the d--g smugglers? Discuss.

 

[Goosey 3,017]

They can't let these Australians off the hook while nameless Indonesians have to face the full penalty. We wouldn't have even heard of this if those two weren't Australian.

"The indignant reactions by foreign leaders and some aggressive statements and actions in response to the previously planned executions have been counter-productive. They have all but nailed their own citizens' coffins by arousing a backlash of nationalistic sentiment from within Indonesia. That left no room for Jokowi to backflip on his refusal to grant clemency, no matter how small the possibility was."

[Dangerous Man 9,245]

I will never approve the use of illegal d--gs, but I will NEVER approve any kind of death penalty esp the barbaric ones. Firing squad should get erased too. Lifetime imprisonment should be the alternative of death penalty imo.

[Haroon 49,685]

I'm not in favour of the death penalty  I get how serious d--g smuggling is and I agree that it should be punished severely but not with the use of death or violence  I'm a pacifist in that aspect

[LePetitGAGABLover 21,234]

I'm not in favour of the death penalty  I get how serious d--g smuggling is and I agree that it should be punished severely but not with the use of death or violence  I'm a pacifist in that aspect

​I agree. Getting the death penalty for d--g trafficking is a little 

[Yves 1,891]

I disagree with y'all. Death penalty is necessary nowadays. They have the idea that they get out after they did their time. They'll just do it again. Death penalty is the tool that scares people; it makes them think of their actions.

[Staryu 6,162]

 They should have been put in jail... this is extreme.

[xoxo cupcakke 4,781]

Mexico doesn't even do this, I don't think

Drug trafficking should not be tolerated but this is going too far. Praying for the families of those executed

[Dangerous Man 9,245]

I disagree with y'all. Death penalty is necessary nowadays. They have the idea that they get out after they did their time. They'll just do it again. Death penalty is the tool that scares people; it makes them think of their actions.

Did death penalty stop people from committing crimes? I don't think so. Also DP is also messed if the convict is actually innocent.

[FrozenKookie 2,638]

I disagree with y'all. Death penalty is necessary nowadays. They have the idea that they get out after they did their time. They'll just do it again. Death penalty is the tool that scares people; it makes them think of their actions.

How about the innocent people being sentenced to death? Have you heard of the man who was found innocent for the crime that he has been put into prison for 40 years?

[Nicole 1,809]

Australia has no position in condemning other nation's policies when we are turning a blind eye into our own treatment of refugees. 

This article really says my views in this situation, as an Australian quite well

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-32492181 

if members of the bali 9 were not Australian we wouldn't even be hearing about it. Why does Australia not condemn the states in the US that practice capital punishment by cutting all ties? Why doesn't the government cut all their ties with China? Is it because that is "different"? Australia is threatening to cut their ties with Indonesia but it won't be long before we go crawling back to them. They are a neighbouring country - we need them to act against terrorism and various other international issues. Yes the Indonesian government is somewhat corrupt in some ways, but what government isn't? There are so many double standards and Australian politicians are just being so ridiculous and immature.

For anyone "boycotting" indonesia, including Bali with the argument that they are "simply against the death penalty in this day and age" - I expect that you also boycott your child's dream holiday to disney world - because Florida is among the 30-something states that still practice capital punishment. Oh, and that trip to Las Vegas when you turn 21? Guess you won't be going there because Nevada is also among those states! 

 

 

[RAMROD 117,010]

I am on middle ground with this.

I agree on death penalty for some serious crime, and d--g trafficking is one of them, because d--gs kills.

Anither one is planned homicide

I don't think Indonesia need to bow to pressures from any countries just because they are in the 3rd world, besides they are not the only country that have death penalty for d--g trafficking crime.

China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Taiwan, Thailand, Cuba, and few African and Middle Eastern countries are also having death penalty for d--gs trafficking.

And nobody say anything when things like this happened there.

It will put some sense to d--g dealers that wanna try to smuggle their stuffs in those countries.

No one innocent with smuggling d--gs.

These people already know what they do.

And there are always fanfare inflight on how taking d--gs into Indonesia is punishable by death whenever anyone visit that country by plane. But nobody takes that warning seriously until it's too late, like what happened to these Bali 9 folks.

 

Australia has no position in condemning other nation's policies when we are turning a blind eye into our own treatment of refugees. 

This article really says my views in this situation, as an Australian quite well

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-32492181 

if members of the bali 9 were not Australian we wouldn't even be hearing about it. Why does Australia not condemn the states in the US that practice capital punishment by cutting all ties? Why doesn't the government cut all their ties with China? Is it because that is "different"? Australia is threatening to cut their ties with Indonesia but it won't be long before we go crawling back to them. They are a neighbouring country - we need them to act against terrorism and various other international issues. Yes the Indonesian government is somewhat corrupt in some ways, but what government isn't? There are so many double standards and Australian politicians are just being so ridiculous and immature.

For anyone "boycotting" indonesia, including Bali with the argument that they are "simply against the death penalty in this day and age" - I expect that you also boycott your child's dream holiday to disney world - because Florida is among the 30-something states that still practice capital punishment. Oh, and that trip to Las Vegas when you turn 21? Guess you won't be going there because Nevada is also among those states! 

 

 

 

Preach! :applause:

 

[badgalriri 1,124]

Mexico doesn't even do this, I don't think

Drug trafficking should not be tolerated but this is going too far. Praying for the families of those executed

​lmfao thats because mexico kills you even if you did nothing wrong. you'll be kidnapped, tortured, shot, and then beheaded on camera just for existing. lol

[xoxo cupcakke 4,781]

​lmfao thats because mexico kills you even if you did nothing wrong. you'll be kidnapped, tortured, shot, and then beheaded on camera just for existing. lol

Nnn... maybe the d--g cartels and corrupt officials but I'm talking about death by gun squad not being legal in Mexico since it doesn't have a death penalty which, again, is kind of surprising but, yeah, Mexico can be dangerous if you don't know who you're associating with

I know this guy who was at the wrong place at the wrong time because his mother or grandmother, I forget, was tending to a wounded man who was on the run from the cartel because he didn't pay them or something. Well, the cartel found them, killed the mother or grandmother and that wounded guy and shot at the other guy, dumped their bodies in the desert, and somehow, that guy survived. He's a total douche, though, and sometimes I wonder why he was to survive and not the mother/grandmother. Poor woman. I feel sad now

[Yves 1,891]

Did death penalty stop people from committing crimes? I don't think so. Also DP is also messed if the convict is actually innocent.

​What I was saying this makes them think more of the situation. I didn't say there wouldn't be crimes committed. That's just how it works. We're living in the same country so I know. We had DP once, they removed it and look what happened to the ****ed up country.