IN PHOTO: Australian Andrew Chan (L) and Myuran Sukumaran wait in a temporary cell for their appeal hearing in Denpasar District Court in Indonesia's resort island of Bali September 21, 2010.
IN PHOTO: Australian Andrew Chan (L) and Myuran Sukumaran wait in a temporary cell for their appeal hearing in Denpasar District Court in Indonesia's resort island of Bali September 21, 2010. They are members of a group known as the Bali Nine, arrested in April 2005 in Bali with 8.3 kg (18 lb) of heroin strapped to their bodies. Chan and Sukumaran were sentenced to death in 2006. They requested for a judicial review for their death sentence to be reduced to 20 years jail. REUTERS/Murdani Usman

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop ruled out flying to Indonesia to appeal against the execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. She said that the move might turn out to be “counterproductive.”

Bishop said that there would still be hope for the Australian convicts as long as they were alive. She, however, said that Jakarta seemed to be in no mood for mercy. She said that Chan and Sukumaran were “remorseful” and had been “rehabilitated.”

Bishop said that it would be a “grave injustice” to Chan and Sukumaran if they were executed. “Indeed a wasted opportunity for Indonesia because they will be able to demonstrate how successful their prison system can be in rehabilitating drug traffickers," Bishop told ABC Radio National.

Chan and Sukumaran are expected to face the firing squad in February itself. On Monday, Australian embassy officials will meet Indonesian government officials to talk about the execution arrangements for the Australian duo. Jakarta called representatives of the foreign countries, whose people are among the convicts, for a meeting to give details about the executions.

Edith Visnanathan, meanwhile, asked for mercy for her grandson for the second time. The grandmother of Sukumaran spoke at a Mercy Campaign event on Sunday. More than 150,000 people signed for a petition to the families of Chan and Sukumaran.

Visnanathan asked Indonesia to forgive both the Australian convicts. She said that she had “begged” the Indonesian president for forgiveness before. She said that she was sure the Indonesian president would change his heart and forgive the Bali Nine convicts to give them a chance to live. She said that he would feel sorry if “he killed them.”

Australia is apparently trying its best to persuade Indonesia. Prime Minister Tony Abbott as well as Bishop asked Indonesian officials repeatedly to reconsider their decision of the execution. Attorneys-general from across the country signed a letter to Indonesia to request clemency for the Australian men.

New South Wales Attorney-General Brad Hazzard earlier justified the unprecedented move by calling it a “desperate” situation. The joint letter from Australian attorneys-general was an exception move. Hazzard hoped that the “solid message” would reach out to Indonesia. "In my living memory this is the first time every single state and territory attorney-general across the country have come together and asked for clemency for one of our citizens," he said.

Chan and Sukumaran were found guilty of drug smuggling. Indonesia, having extremely strict laws regarding drug related crimes, gave death sentence to the Australian men.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@IBTimes.com.au