Bali Nine — Timeline Of Events Leading To Eventual Execution

The Bali Nine pair Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were among those sentenced to death by firing squad. They were executed early Wednesday, April 29 in Nusakambangan Prison Island near Cilacap, Central Java, Indonesia despite ceaseless mercy pleas from families and government officials. Their execution, along with other six death row convicts, sparked controversies.

Both appealed to have their sentence lowered to life imprisonment on Sep. 21, 2010, but the same were denied by the Indonesian Supreme Court in its final decision promulgated on May 10, 2011. A 72-hours’ notice was issued by Indonesia on Saturday, April 25.

A timeline of the Bali Nine, with emphasis on the ringleaders, from the time of their arrest to present day execution will merit more understanding on their situation.

April 17, 2005

Nine individuals — later dubbed as the Bali Nine — were arrested in Denpasar in Bali, Indonesia for their attempt to smuggle from Indonesia to Australia 8.3kgs of heroin valuing at $4 million.

Four of them were arrested at Ngurah Rai International Airport where they were supposed to board a flight to Australia. Found strapped around their bodies were plastic bags containing 8kgs of heroin.

Later that evening, Chan was taken off from an aircraft supposedly departing for Australia. Four others including Sukumaran were apprehended at Melasti Beach Bungalows. Also spotted in their possession were strapping equipment and 350 grams of heroin.

October 11, 2005

Criminal proceedings against Sukumaran [and fellow Bali Nine member Michael Czugaj] commenced.

October 13, 2005

Criminal proceedings against Chan and [another Bali Nine member Scott Rush] began.

February 14, 2006

The Denpasar District Court’s Judge Arief Supratman issued the Decision finding both Sukumaran and Chan guilty of drug trafficking and imposed the maximum penalty of death.

February 20, 2006

Sukumaran and Chan lodged appeals from Denpasar District Court’s Decision.

April 26, 2006

The Bali High Court denied the appeal and upheld the lower court’s Decision.

September 8, 2006

Australian Prime Minister John Howard issued a statement saying the time was not yet ripe to make an intervention on Bali Nine’s behalf as there were matters yet to hear by the Indonesian courts.

July 27, 2007

During a meeting with then-Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, PM Howard said he broached the subject of Bali Nine saying it “attracts a lot of interest in Australia.”

August 13, 2010

Sukumaran and Chan lodged judicial review of their respective death sentences, expressing remorse over their crimes and begging for forgiveness.

June 17, 2011

Justices of the Supreme Court imputed no error on the lower court for imposing death penalty and confirmed that unless the Indonesian President would grant them clemency, the Bali Nine ringleaders will be executed by a firing squad.

May 13, 2012

Banking on Chan’s age, he filed an appeal to the Indonesian President for pardon from execution.

July 9, 2012

Sukumaran also based his appeal to the Indonesian President on his age.

December 11, 2014

Speaking before university students, [succeeding Mr Yudhoyono] Indonesian President Joko Widodo denied the appeal, declaring no mercy should be afforded to drug criminals.

January 17, 2015

After receipt of official denial of presidential appeal by Sukumaran, Mr Abbot appealed to Mr Widodo for mercy for Sukumaran and Chan.

Chan received the decision denying his appeal on January 22, 2015.

January 30, 2015

Both Sukumaran and Chan, along with other inmates on the death row, filed a judicial review of their respective cases, but the High Courts denied the same on the ground that “no new evidence is provided by the convicts.”

February 2, 2015

After the first execution on Jan. 18, 2015, the convicted Bali Nine pair were among the list for the next execution.

February 9, 2015

Left with no other recourse, lawyers for Sukumaran and Chan challenged in the administrative court the decision of Indonesian President denying the pardon, contending the same was not in accord with due process.

February 12, 2015

The Indonesian president remained unyielding in his decision denying mercy on drug criminals, admitting he refused to grant 64 petitions for clemency. Australia ceaselessly reached out to Indonesia for the Bali Nine Duo, but after deliberations, eventually dismissed pleas of clemency.

March 7, 2015

Two days after the arrival of Australian Bali Nine ringleaders at Nusakambangan Island, Indonesia on March 4, 2015 for execution by firing squad, the Indonesian authorities issued a statement that the supposed execution could not take place pending legal issues that the Indonesian Supreme Court should yet to adjudicate.

The next hearing of the appeal was scheduled on the following Thursday. However, neither the exact date for the execution nor the numbers of prisoners who would face the firing squad was undetermined, according to Attorney-General HM Prasetyo of Indonesia.

April 23-28, 2015

The government of Indonesia ordered on Thursday, April 23 the prosecutors to prepare on the execution of the Bali Nine Duo and eight others. On Saturday, April 25, the duo refused to sign their 72-hour notice of execution, claiming they had been remarkably rehabilitated, although they expressed their “last wish.” For Sukumaran, who recently honed skills in painting at prison, wished he would be able to paint for as long as he could. His last three portraits were called ‘72 hours just started’ and the fourth was a heart drizzling with blood. Chan’s wish was to pray in the chapel every day until his execution. Both Chan and Sukumaran had been granted time to spend with their families until the final hour. Just before their execution, Chan tied the knot with long time girlfriend.

For comments or feedback on the article, contact the writer at kizmet@ymail.com.