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16-12-2024
SYDNEY: Australia’s government said on Sunday that five members of the “Bali Nine” drug ring have returned from Indonesia, after diplomatic efforts between the countries this month to strike a repatriation deal.
“The Australian Government can confirm that Australian citizens, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.
The men were among nine people arrested in 2005 trying to smuggle more than 8 kg (17.64 lb) of heroin out of the Indonesian resort island of Bali.
“These Australians served more than 19 years in prison in Indonesia. It was time for them to come home,” Albanese said.
Two of ringleaders of the Bali Nine group, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed in 2015, prompting Australia to recall its ambassador in protest.
The only woman in the group was released from prison in 2018, and a male member died of cancer the same year.
“We would like to convey our deep appreciation to the Government of Indonesia for its cooperation to facilitate the men’s return to Australia on humanitarian grounds,” Albanese said.
It said the men’s return reflected “the strong bilateral relationship and mutual respect between Indonesia and Australia.”
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
Indonesia’s Senior Minister for Legal Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra this month met Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke in Jakarta and handed over a draft proposal for the return of the five prisoners.
The terms of the draft included the five being banned from returning to Indonesia, regulations on the legal basis for the transfer and a requirement that Australia respect the decision of the Indonesian court, Yusril said.
Yusril said at the time that Indonesia would respect any decision taken by Australia when the prisoners returned home, including if the group was granted a pardon. He said the repatriation would not involve an exchange of prisoners.
Indonesia’s government did not respond immediately to requests for comment on Sunday.
Last month, Indonesia had 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 told Reuters 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.
France has also requested the repatriation of a prisoner, he said. (Int’l News Desk)
