Indonesia to return remaining Bali Nine drug smugglers to Australia

Two ringleaders of the group were executed in 2015, while one trafficker was released from prison and another died of cancer

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Indonesia executed Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan (left) and Myuran Sukumaran in 2015. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:45pm, 23 Nov 2024

Indonesia has agreed to return to Australia the five remaining members of the so-called Bali Nine drug smuggling ring who are currently serving life sentences in the Southeast Asian country, an Indonesia minister said on Saturday.

It will also seek the repatriation of Indonesian prisoners held in Australia, Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas said on Saturday.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised the prisoner issue during a meeting with Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Peru, Australian Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said in a press conference on Saturday.

Earlier this week, Indonesia confirmed Mary Jane Veloso, a Philippine woman on death row for drug trafficking in a separate case, would be allowed to serve the rest of her sentence in her home country.

She was alone among a group of condemned convicts to receive a last-minute stay of execution in 2015 after Philippine officials asked Indonesia to let her testify against members of a human- and drug-smuggling ring. The rest, including two ringleaders of the Bali Nine, were executed by firing squad.

“This is the president’s discretion, but in principle, the president has agreed on humanitarian grounds,” Supratman said.