A British woman convicted of drug smuggling in Indonesia will not face execution under a bilateral agreement between the two nations, which also includes the repatriation of another Briton serving a life sentence.
Lindsay Sandiford, 68, has been held in Bali since 2012 after authorities discovered 3.8kg of cocaine concealed in her suitcase lining during a search at the island’s airport. During legal proceedings, she claimed a criminal group had coerced her into transporting the drugs by threatening her family.
In 2013, Indonesia’s highest court upheld her death sentence by firing squad.
Another prisoner, Shahab Shahabadi, 35, received a life sentence in 2014 following an investigation into an international drug trafficking operation. Prosecutors stated he had arranged multiple shipments of 30kg of methamphetamine from Iran to his associate in Jakarta before his own arrest in the city.
“Both individuals are experiencing difficulties. The first is in poor health and has been assessed by a British Consulate physician in Bali. Her condition is severe, and she is 68 years old,” said Yvette Cooper, the secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs. She finalized the repatriation agreement with Indonesia’s senior law minister, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, on Tuesday.
Mahendra confirmed the transfer would proceed once both nations complete necessary administrative procedures.
Indonesia has returned several foreign prisoners to their home countries under bilateral arrangements since Prabowo Subianto became president. Past cases include a Filipina sentenced to death for drug offenses and five Australians imprisoned for heroin trafficking.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Indonesia remains a key transit point for drug smuggling despite enforcing some of the world’s toughest narcotics laws, partly due to trafficking networks exploiting its large youth population.
Government figures released last month show approximately 530 people are awaiting execution in Indonesia, most convicted of drug-related crimes, including nearly 100 foreign nationals. The country’s most recent executions, involving one citizen and three foreigners, took place in July 2016.
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