Bali Nine Chan, Sukumaran’s Execution To Be Announced Soon; Letters Ordering Preparations Sent

Bali Nine pair Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran’s execution date will be announced soon. The Indonesian government has already issued letters ordering prosecutors to begin the preparations for the Australians and eight others’ execution.

The head of the General Crimes has issued the letters on Thursday, although it is unknown if the prosecutors have already received them, according to Attorney-General’s office spokesman Tony Spontana. The missives were not the final notifications of executions, however, and it is unclear how quickly could the executions be arranged.

Death row inmates are given 72 hours’ notice before they face the firing squad. While it’s not the final notice yet, Peter Morrisey, a lawyer for Chan and Sukumaran, admitted that the letter is a sign that the executions are imminent.

Perhaps a more ominous sign comes in the ordering of Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso’s transfer to Nusakambangan Island. The Philippine national, who was transferred to the island Thursday, is the only female among the 10 inmates. As the so-called death island only accommodates male prisoners, authorities previously said Veloso would only be transferred to Nusakambangan when the batch are set to be executed.

Veloso’s lawyers are planning to lodge another request for a judicial review on Monday after the court recently rejected her last one. Chan and Sukumaran’s team of lawyers are also planning to take the duo’s case to the constitutional court, hoping to bid more time for them. However, Attorney-General HM Prasetyo claimed it doesn’t matter what the outcome of their challenge would be because it wouldn’t affect the condemned pair’s current case.

The Attorney-General’s office is still waiting for a Supreme Court decision on Indonesian drug smuggler Zainal Abidin’s case. “If it is rejected, the 10 people are complete,” he was quoted by detik.com as saying.

Prasetyo also previously claimed that the executions would be delayed until the end of April to give way to the Asia-Africa Conferences in the country. The international event is held in Jandung and Jakarta from April 18 to 24. He explained that he did not wish to cause unease among the high-profile international delegates of the conferences by having the inmates shot to death while the event is ongoing.