Jokowi Rejects Australian Drug Convict`s Request For Pardon

Denpasar (Antara Bali) -- President Joko Widodo rejected the clemency petition filed by Australian inmate Andrew Chan (31), who was convicted on drug charges and is serving a death penalty.

The presidential decision to that effect was received by the district court of Denpasar on Thursday.

"I received presidential decree number 9/10 of 2015 at 1.20 p.m.," spokesman for the Denpasar district court Hasoloan Sianturi said.

He added that President Joko Widodo`s letter related to the rejection of Chan`s request for a pardon was sent by Rengga Damawati.

Sianturi further noted that he would send a copy of the letter to the Denpasar prosecutor`s office immediately.

In December 2014, the president had rejected the request for a pardon from Myuran Sukumaran, also an Australian citizen convicted for drugs-related crimes and sentenced to death.

Both Sukumaran and Chan are members of the "Bali Nine" drug ring. They were caught attempting to smuggle 8.2 kilograms of heroin to Australia from Bali in April 2005.

Besides Sukumaran and Chan, other members of this drug ring include Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Renae Lawrence, Tach Duc Than Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, and Martin Stephens.

The district court of Denpasar, Bali, had sentenced Lawrence, Czugaj, Stephens, and Rush to life in prison, and Sukumaran and Chan to death.

Moreover, Indonesia recently implemented the death sentence on six drug convicts, including five foreigners. Their request for a presidential pardon was also rejected by Jokowi.

On Thursday (January 15), Attorney General H. M. Prasetyo affirmed that the execution of "Bali Nine" member Sukumaran would be carried out after the decision on Chan`s request for a pardon was made.

According to regulations, if a crime is committed by more than one, the execution of those sentenced must be carried out at the same time, Prasetyo revealed. (WDY)