Daily Times (Primos, PA)

Indonesia executes 4 drug trafficker­s

- By Andi Jatmiko and Stephen Wright

CILACAP, INDONESIA » Indonesia executed four drug trafficker­s on Friday and said it had not yet decided when 10 others convicted of drug crimes would be put to death.

Deputy Attorney-General Noor Rachmad said one Indonesian and three Nigerians were executed by firing squad not long after midnight local time.

The government had said earlier in the week that 14 people on death row, mostly foreigners, would be executed on the Nusa Kambangan prison island.

Those executed Friday were Indonesian Freddy Budiman and Nigerians Seck Osmane, Michael Titus and Humphrey Jefferson. The bodies of Osmane and Titus will be flown to their home country and Jefferson will be buried in Indonesia.

Relatives, rights groups and foreign government­s had urged Indonesia to spare all 14 lives but it was unclear whether that had any influence on the decision to not carry out all the executions at once. Lawyers and rights groups had raised serious doubts about the legitimacy of the conviction of Jefferson as well as the conviction­s of an Indonesian woman and a Pakistani man.

It was the third set of executions under President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo who was elected in 2014 and campaigned on promises to improve human rights in Indonesia.

“It was not a pleasant thing but it was to implement the law,” said Rachmad. “The executions are only aimed at halting drug crimes.”

He said a decision about other executions would be announced at a later time.

A convoy of 17 ambulances, most carrying coffins, had arrived Thursday morning at the port town nearest Nusa Kambangan. Officials began tightening security at the prison several days ago, with more than 1,000 police sent to Cilacap, the port town, and the island.

Last year, Indonesia executed 14 people convicted of drug crimes, mostly foreigners, sparking outcry.

Wright reported from Jakarta. an internatio­nal Niniek Karmini and Ali Kotarumalo­s contribute­d.

 ?? K.M. CHAUDARY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Sajida Bibi, right, sister of Zulfikar Ali, convicted of drug crimes, cries with her sister Humaira Bibi, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday. The sister of a Pakistani convicted of drug crimes has appealed the Indonesian government to spare the life of her...
K.M. CHAUDARY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Sajida Bibi, right, sister of Zulfikar Ali, convicted of drug crimes, cries with her sister Humaira Bibi, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday. The sister of a Pakistani convicted of drug crimes has appealed the Indonesian government to spare the life of her...
 ?? K.M. CHAUDARY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Family members and relatives of Zulfikar Ali, who is convicted of drug crimes, demand his release during a protest outside the Provincial assembly, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday. The sister of a Pakistani man convicted of drug crimes has appealed the...
K.M. CHAUDARY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Family members and relatives of Zulfikar Ali, who is convicted of drug crimes, demand his release during a protest outside the Provincial assembly, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday. The sister of a Pakistani man convicted of drug crimes has appealed the...
 ?? K.M. CHAUDARY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Humaira Bibi, sister of Zulfikar Ali, convicted of drug crimes, cries in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday. The sister of a Pakistani convicted of drug crimes has appealed the Indonesian government to spare the life of her ailing brother who is expected to...
K.M. CHAUDARY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Humaira Bibi, sister of Zulfikar Ali, convicted of drug crimes, cries in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday. The sister of a Pakistani convicted of drug crimes has appealed the Indonesian government to spare the life of her ailing brother who is expected to...
 ?? K.M. CHAUDARY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Family members and relatives of Zulfikar Ali, convicted of drug crimes, demand his release during a protest, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday.
K.M. CHAUDARY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Family members and relatives of Zulfikar Ali, convicted of drug crimes, demand his release during a protest, in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday.

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