RI Presindent Reiterates Death Row Stand for Narcotic Law Convicts

Solo, Central Java (Antara) - Indonesia\'s President Joko Widodo has reiterated that he will not pardon those convicted to death row in narcotics cases in view of the negative impact the narcotics business has had on the country. \"There are already 64 persons, who have been sentenced to death, and have appealed for clemency. I assure you that I will reject their pleas. I will never award a pardon,\" he said at the second congress of the Hanura party on Friday evening. Jokowi, as the President is often addressed, said he would not waver in his stand, despite pressures from various parties, including the United Nations, non-governmental organizations and Amnesty International. He said Indonesia must be firm in enforcing its narcotic laws. \"If clemency is awarded, we will be doomed,\" he stated. The President reminded the audience that 50 people die on a daily basis because of substance abuse in the country and the annual toll has touched 18,000. \"The accused in these cases have been caught with not a mere gram of evidence, but kilograms or even tons,\" he pointed out. President Jokowi expressed concern that since the execution of narcotic death convicts had not been carried out immediately its deterrent effect was also not effective immediately. \"Those already behind bars have even managed to regulate narcotic distribution,\" he said. He also said the situation must not be allowed to continue because it is hurting not only the morale of the country, but also influencing the mentality of Indonesians. Thousands of people have succumbed to a death caused by narcotic use, while millions have had to be rehabilitated. There are also some 1.2 million people, who can no longer be rehabilitated, he said. President Joko Widodo had rejected the clemency plea of Nigerian drug convict Silvester Obiekwe, who is on death row, Attorney General HM Prasetyo stated on Friday. \"The decision has been made. Silvester\'s request has been rejected,\" he noted. Silvester was arrested recently for conducting a narcotic business from the premises of the Nusakambangan penitentiary in Cilacap, Central Java, where he had so far been incarcerated after being sentenced to death for a drug crime. Prasetyo stated that as his request for clemency had been declined, it meant that Silvester\'s execution will be carried out in the due course of time. Regarding the Australian government\'s reaction to the implementation of death penalty for the two Australians, the Attorney General had urged Australia to respect Indonesian laws, which still impose a death penalty for conviction related to narcotic crimes. \"It is their right to reject it, but we also have our own stance,\" he emphasized. He said Indonesian law\'s sovereignty must be upheld and expressed the hope that Australia will also respect it. \"Our law¿s sovereignty must be respected as we must also respect other countries\' legal sovereignty,\" he noted. Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan are among the 11 death convicts to be executed soon after their clemency pleas were declined by the President. The AGO has received presidential decrees rejecting their requests for clemency. The 11 death row convicts comprise of eight drug convicts and three murder convicts. Syofial alias Iyen bin Azwar, Harun bin Ajis, and Sargawi alias Ali bin Sanusi, who are all Indonesian citizens, have been convicted in murder cases and awarded the death penalty. Meanwhile, the eight drug convicts are Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso (Filipino), Myuran Sukumaran alias Mark (Australian), Sergei Areski Atlaoui (French), Martin Anderson alias Belo (Ghanaian), Zainal Abidin (Indonesian), Raheem Agbaje Salami (citizen of Cordoba), Rodrigo Gularte (Brazilian), and Andrew Chan (Australian). The AGO had recently executed six drug convicts, including five foreigners from Brazil and the Netherlands, after their mercy pleas were rejected by the President. The Brazilian and Dutch governments have recalled their ambassadors due to the execution of their citizens.(*) Reporting by Hanni Sofia Soepardi