Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Australian Drug Smugglers on Death Row: ‘No Compromise’

It’s a bleak future for Bali Nine co-ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran as Indonesian President Joko Widodo has crushed their hopes of gaining reprieve from the death penalty. The two Australian convicted drug smugglers are awaiting death by firing squad in the Asian country.

Marking his 100 days in office since he was elected, Mr Widodo gave an interview to CNN’s Christiana Amanpour. He talked about his programs and his accomplishments during his still-short term. His interview also touched the contentious subject of execution in the country for drug-related crimes. Earlier in January, the country has ordered the death of six convicts, five of whom were foreign nationals.

And now Chan and Sukumaran are facing the same fate. Their pleas for clemency have been denied by Mr Widodo days apart, and are now expected to be put to death at the same time, despite the Australian government’s efforts to stop the procedure.

“Imagine every day, we have 50 people who die because of drugs. In one year, it’s 18,000 people who die because of narcotics. And we are not going to compromise for drug dealers. No compromise, no compromise,” Mr Widodo said in the interview.

He added that the power to order death penalty is in the court, and he can only bestow amnesty if asked. However, he is adamant not to give amnesty at all for drug dealers. “So no relief for the Australian?” Amanpour asked, to which the president just shook his head.

The president remains determined to execute drug offenders despite the international backlash over his decisions. Brazil and the Netherlands have temporarily called back their ambassadors to the country after Indonesia executed their citizens despite their repeated calls for clemency.

On Friday, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has released a statement, assuring the public that the government continues to support Chan and Sukumaran. He and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop have reached out to their Indonesian counterparts in an attempt to save the Bali Nine drug smugglers from death.

Chan and Sukumaran’s Indonesian lawyer, Todong Mulya Lubis, previously said they would be filing a second judicial review for them. The procedure is said to be the duo’s last hope, save for the presidential clemency, though critics even doubt if it can be lodged successfully.

The date and venue of their execution will be determined by the Attorney General at a later date. According to a new report, they are likely to learn the answers in February following the evaluation of the six drug felons executed on January 18.