An Indonesian police chief has appeared to disregard the gravity of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran’s situation by smiling and posing with them for photos. Commissioner Djoko Hari Utomo took photos with the distressed Bali Nine pair as they were being flown to the place where they will be killed. Australia is expected to file a complaint over the images.

The photos, published on local media, were taken on the flight to Central Java. One of the photos see Utomo smiling at the camera while his hand was resting on a sitting Chan’s shoulder. Chan, knowing of what’s awaiting him on their destination, appeared stunned. The other photo sees Utomo still smiling but looking away from the camera as his hand rests on Sukumaran’s shoulder. Sukumaran looked distressed.

The pictures have been condemned online as heartless. Chan and Sukumaran were forced to be in photos with a seemingly happy official who callously disregarded the grimness of their situation. They were being transferred to Nusakambangan Island where they will be executed by firing squad, and a senior police chief wanted to take a souvenir with them.

Utomo defended the images, claiming he did not know his photo was being taken as he was trying to raise the spirit of the doomed Australians. “It was not a selfie moment,” he explained to Fairfax Media, adding he was just patting the men’s shoulders, urging them to “be tough, be strong and keep going.”

Nevertheless, Australia is said to be making an official complaint to the Indonesian government over the photos and the excessive show of force during Chan and Sukumaran’s transfer. In what is believed to be Indonesia’s strong message to Australia about the country’s sovereign right to capital punishment, the Bali Nine duo were escorted from Kerobokan prison to the so-called Death Island by heavily armed security personnel and with armoured vehicle.

According to ABC News, the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Varghese, will lodge the complaint. Indonesia’s ambassador is understood to be in Perth, so Varghese will likely call by phone. The Australian ambassador in Indonesia will also lodge the complaint.

Prisoner Swap Rejected

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop revealed that she has offered her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi prisoner swap to save Chan and Sukumaran’s lives. In exchange for clemency of the pair, Australia is willing to return three Indonesian drug smugglers imprisoned in Australia to their home country.

However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said the offer has been rejected. He told BBC that Indonesia has no law to grant such exchange.

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