Indonesian authorities confirmed they have transferred two convicted Australian drug traffickers on Wednesday (March 4) to a maximum security prison ahead of an upcoming execution that could happen in the near future.
Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were transferred under armoured truck through a heavily guarded process from the Kerobokan prison in Bali, where both served at least eight years of a jail term.
“Today is the transfer day for two of them. We already gave the family notice,” said the spokesman of prison division of Bali, Nyoman Putra Surya Atmaja.
The two men were the ringleaders of a so-called Bali Nine drug smuggling group and were sentenced to death in 2006 for a plot to smuggle heroin out ofIndonesia.
Clemency pleas were rejected by Indonesian President Joko Widodo last month.
They will arrive at the town of Cilacap in less than two hours, and from there they will be moved to a prison on the island of Nusakambangan where they will face firing squad.
“From here we will direct them to Cilacap and from Cilacap straight toNusakambangan Island. In Nusakambangan they will be held at Batu prison,” said Atmaja.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he was “revolted by the prospect of these executions”, a harsh response after Widodo recently told other countries to stay out of his country’s sovereign affairs.
Eleven people, including seven foreigners from Australia, Brazil, Ghana, France,Philippines and Nigeria are on the same execution list.
It will be the second execution after Indonesia caused an international stir in mid-January and executed six people, five of whom were foreigners, by firing squad.
Indonesia has harsh penalties for drug trafficking and resumed executions in 2013 after a five-year gap.
Reuters