Four executed, 10 prisoners await news of fate
Indonesia executed four people convicted of drug crimes yesterday, despite international protests and said it would decide later when as many as 10 others would be put to death.
One Indonesian and three Nigerians were executed by firing squad not long after midnight local time as torrential rains hit the Nusa Kambangan prison island where the death row inmates were held.
The government had said earlier in the week that 14 people on death row, mostly foreigners, would be executed for drug crimes.
Those executed were Indonesian Freddy Budiman and Nigerians Seck Osmane, Michael Titus and Humphrey Jefferson.
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.
Deputy Attorney-General Noor Rachmad said the severity of the drug trafficking crimes was a consideration in the execution of the four men.
A decision about other executions would be announced at a later time, he said.
‘‘It was not a pleasant thing but it was to implement the law. The executions are only aimed at halting drug crimes,’’ Rachmad said.
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.