Bali Nine Drug Smugglers Taken To Execution Jail

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Two Australian men convicted of drug smuggling in Indonesia have been taken from a prison in Bali to an island where they face execution by firing squad.

Myuran Sukumaran, 33, and Andrew Chan, 31, were found guilty in 2005 of being the ringleaders of the so-called "Bali Nine" drug smuggling gang.

They were sentenced to death the following year.

Australia has been pursuing a campaign to save the men - but the Indonesian president has refused to grant them clemency.

The pair lost their latest appeal in February.

1/14

Gallery: Australian Prisoners Convicted Over Drug Smuggling

The Bali Nine are a group of Australians jailed for attempting to smuggle over £2m of heroin out of Indonesia. Their sentences vary: some face life - the ringleaders face the firing squad

Named as one of the ringleaders of the heroin smuggling operation, Andrew Chan was 21 years old when he was arrested

]]>

Si Yi Chen was first sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed against the decision but was then given the death penalty. After an appeal he was sentenced to 20 years

]]>

Michael Czugaj was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006. He also appealed against the decision but the sentence was upheld later in the year

]]>

Matthew Norman was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006 but the Supreme Court imposed the death penalty after he appealed

]]>

The case has heightened diplomatic tensions between the two countries with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott saying he was "revolted" by the planned executions.

But Indonesian President Joko Widodo has warned foreign governments seeking clemency against interfering in his country's sovereign affairs.

The two Australians were reported to be in one of two armoured vehicles that left Kerobokan Prison before dawn on Wednesday, amid a major security operation involving hundreds of police.

They were taken to Bali's airport for the flight to the island of Nusakambangan, where executions are carried out at its maximum security prison.

The pair are among 11 prisoners due to be shot by firing squad, mostly for drug crimes.

The Australian government has stressed that Sukumaran and Chan have been rehabilitated in prison, where they had mentored younger inmates.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said Canberra would consider recalling its ambassador if the executions went ahead, as Brazil and the Netherlands did after executions in January, the first since Mr Widodo came to power.

Six prisoners, including five foreigners from the Netherlands, Brazil, Malawi, Nigeria and Vietnam, were shot by firing squad in January.

Mr Abbott said: "I think there are millions of Australians who feel sick to their stomachs about what's likely to happen to these two men who committed a terrible crime, a terrible crime.

"But the position of Australia is that we abhor drug crime but we abhor the death penalty as well, which we think is beneath a country like Indonesia."

Indonesia resumed executions in 2013 after a five-year moratorium.

Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain

Malu Rasanya