TEMPO.CO, Denpasar – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has rejected a clemency requested by Australian death-row convict Andrew Chan, following earlier rejection for another Australian convict. The Denpasar District Court received the rejection letter on Thursday, January 22, 2015, the court’s spokesperson Hasoloan Sianturi said.
The convicts’ lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis, was planning to request a review over the plea rejection. He dismissed claims that the effort was aimed at stalling the execution, claiming that it was for the sake of justice. According to Todung, both convicts have shown good behavior over the last ten years in prison.
Both convicts were sentenced to death in a drug trafficking case, known as the Bali Nine, on April 17, 2015. A total of nine Australian nationals were involved in a foiled attempt of heroin smugling from Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali to Australia.
Four of them were caught carrying the heroin when departing to Australia at Ngurah Rai Airport. Andrew Chan was arrested on a separate plane, but the police did not find drugs on him.
Four others were arrested at Melasti Hotel in Kuta for possessing 350 grams of heroin and other evidences that indicated their involvement in the smuggling.
ROFIQI HASAN