The three convicts, who were executed, have been named as Indonesian Freddy Budiman and Nigerians Seck Osmane, Humphrey Jefferson Ejike and Michael Titus Igweh.
Advertisement
Indonesia carried out the execution early Friday of four people convicted for drug offenses, an official said, despite objections from the worldwide community over capital punishment. Last year, Mr Widodo’s government executed 14 people convicted of drug crimes, mostly foreigners, sparking a huge outcry overseas, particularly in Australia, which had two citizens among those condemned.
The group, which likewise included Indonesians in addition to foreigners from India, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, were placed in isolation on the prison island where executions are carried out by Jakarta.
Relatives of the four drug traffickers murdered, and 10 whose lives were spared for now, traveled to Nusakambangan Island the day before the executions to say their goodbyes and were visibly distraught when ambulances carrying coffins arrived in anticipation of transporting the dead.
Members of Ali’s family said they have been told he would be executed on Thursday night earlier today.
Reacting to the execution, the spokesperson for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said it was unfortunate the agency could not stop the process.
He called on the government of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to impose an immediate moratorium on executions.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said he’s “deeply concerned” by death penalty cases that lack transparency and compliance with the right to a fair trial, including the right to an appeal.
This is the third round of executions under Mr Widodo. 10 more convicts were expected to be killed but they had a last-minute stay of execution.
Although the death penalty – especially for cases related to drug trafficking – is widely criticized overseas, there actually exists widespread support among the Indonesian population for the executions of drug traffickers.
Indonesian officials have said all measures will be taken to prevent the drama surrounding the executions in April past year.
Rafendi Djamin, the group’s director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said: “The execution of at least four people tonight by the Indonesian authorities is a deplorable act that violates worldwide law”.
Ban recalled that under worldwide law, the death penalty should be used for the most serious crimes and said “drug crimes are generally not considered to meet this threshold”.
The Pakistani national was arrested on drug trafficking charges from Bogor, Indonesia, in November 2004, and awarded him death sentence in 2005. He was given the death sentence even though prosecutors had recommended a 20-year jail term for Singh, who is also known as Vishal and belongs to Jalandhar in Punjab.
Advertisement
Security was stepped up at the Indonesian embassy in Abuja on Thursday as protesters gathered to urge Indonesia to halt the executions.
