Indonesia Condemned Over Death Penalty; Unlikely To Reconsider

The prisoners planned to be executed in Indonesia for drug-related crimes are from Australia, Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, the Philippines, and Indonesia -- have been transported to the high-security prison island of Nusakambangan, where they will face a firing squad, even as the United Nations' chief urges Indonesia not to execute them.

Counties like France, Australia and Brazil have condemned the death penalty, as executions for their citizens are planned on April 29. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has appealed on Indonesian authorities to stop its citizens Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran impending execution to allow them to provide evidence at a last-ditch legal appeal.

Meanwhile, the constitutional court in Indonesia has agreed to hear a legal bid from Bali Nine duo, but the preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 12, while Chan and Sukumaran set to face the firing squad reportedly on the wee hours of Wednesday. So it is highly unlikely that Indonesia will reconsider the planned executions, but Foreign Minister Bishop believes that the challenge brings little hope. ”Mr Chan and Mr Sukumaran should give evidence and of course they could not be able to do that if they were executed,” she told TODAY. ”While they’re still alive, there’s still hope.”

Brazil Is Giving Humanitarian Reasons To Stop Death Penalty

Brazil’s Rodrigo Muxfeldt Gularte is among the nine drug convicts, whose death sentence was confirmed last Saturday by Indonesian authorities. Brazilian government is taking the diplomatic means to urge Indonesia to halt the impending executions. Earlier Foreign Minister of Brazil informed media that his government is appealing to suspend the execution on humanitarian grounds, saying Gularte suffers from schizophrenia.

International Pressure Mounts Ahead Of Final Day

Indonesia has rigorous punishments for drug related crimes and six executions have taken place until now in 2015 itself. "Under international law, if the death penalty is to be used at all, it should only be imposed for the most serious crimes, namely those involving intentional killing and only with appropriate safeguards," Ban's spokesman said in a statement. "Drug-related offences generally are not considered to fall under the category of 'most serious crimes'," he said.

A Big Deal For France:

French President Francois Hollande on Monday warned Indonesia of severe consequences if French citizen Serge Atlaoui is executed. Atlaoui were among the other death row convicts, who has recently earned a temporary reprieve from it.

Meanwhile, a recent report revealed that the Attorney General's Office (AGO) has said Atlaoui may face the firing squad alone if the State Administrative Court (PTUN) rejects a lawsuit against his execution.

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