Chintu Sukumaran (L), brother of Myuran Sukumaran
IN PHOTO: Chintu Sukumaran (L), brother of Myuran Sukumaran, talks to reporters while standing next to Michael Chan, brother of Andrew Chan, in Cilacap, Central Java province, Indonesia, April 26, 2015. Indonesia has informed two Australians, one Nigerian and four other death-row drug convicts that they will be executed in a matter of days, possibly as soon as Tuesday. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, two Australians arrested as ringleaders of the 'Bali Nine' drug-smuggling group, were among the seven, lawyers said. REUTERS/Beawiharta

Bali Nine pair Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have been denied their right to have a pastor to witness their execution. Indonesian authorities have reportedly stripped the Australian duo off their dignity by denying their last requests.

Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 34, are expected to be executed on Tuesday by firing squad after they have received their 72 hours’ notice on Saturday. Both courteously declined to sign their papers, though, claiming they have been rehabilitated in prison and therefore worthy of redemption.

Nevertheless, the boys requested their own execution witnesses. Chan wanted Salvation Army minister David Soper, who is also a family friend. Sukumaran requested for Christie Buckingham, a senior pastor from Bayside Church in Melbourne, to be his spiritual adviser.

Unfortunately, Indonesian authorities wouldn’t comply with their wishes. Instead, they would supply the doomed pair their own spiritual advisers. This was done on the instruction of the Office of the Attorney-General.

“Last bit of dignity denied,” Chan’s brother Michael sent a text to Fairfax Media of Indonesia’s refusal of Chan and Sukumaran’s requests.

As the news site noted, it is the latest of several snubs that Indonesia made to Australia over the infamous drug ringleaders’ execution. When Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop requested the Asian country not to announce the executions on Anzac Day, April 25, Indonesia did exactly that and handed Chan and Sukumaran the official 72 hours’ notice of their execution on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Chan and Sukumaran’s families have arrived in Cilacap port, near Nusakambangan Island where the Australians will be killed by firing squad. They were seen visibly distraught as they made their way to the pair to bid their last goodbye. Sukumaran’s sister, Brintha, was photographed visibly distraught as she and the rest of the family made their way to her brother. A spokesman for the Attorney General told reporters that Chan and Sukumaran will have to wait until 8 p.m. to be with their families.

On Monday, Chan married his fiancé, Febyanti Herewila, on the execution island. He met Feby, as she is called by her friends, while she was visiting another inmate in Kerobokan prison. Their marriage was officiated by Soper.

Contact the writer: a.lu@ibtimes.com.au

RELATED STORIES