Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister of Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Penitentiary Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra said that five members of the Bali Nine group convicted of drug smuggling were transferred back to Australia, with status as prisoners.
Mahendra emphasized that the Indonesian government did not grant pardons to the five prisoners. This condition, he said, is one part of the practical arrangement signed by the governments of Australia and Indonesia.
"Their statuses are still prisoners. We transferred them to Australia as prisoners. The Indonesian government did not grant pardon to them in any form," Mahendra said in a statement received here on Sunday.
It is written in the practical arrangement that the Australian government respects the sovereignty and decisions of the Indonesian court. In addition, Australia will also provide information to Indonesia regarding the status and treatment of prisoners after being transferred.
Minister Mahendra added that the agreement on the transfer of prisoners was based on the principle of reciprocity.
"Indonesia and Australia are committed to always working together on issues of mutual interest in accordance with the domestic legal framework," he said.
Five of the Bali Nine members had been transferred to Australia on Sunday morning. They were handed over to the Australian government in VIP Room II of the Swarawati Building at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali.
The Bali Nine were a group of nine Australians convicted for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs in 2005. They were convicted of smuggling 8.2 kg of heroin.
The nine members are Andrew Chan, Myuran Sukumaran, Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Renae Lawrence, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, and Martin Stephens.
Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed in 2015, Renae Lawrence was sentenced to 20 years in prison and has been released in 2018 after obtaining several remissions, while Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen died in 2018 in custody while serving a life sentence.
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Translator: Fath M, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
