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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

Indonesia: Investigators to Question 3 Officers Named by Executed Drug Convict in Video

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Executed drug kingpin Freddy Budiman shortly before his execution
Executed drug kingpin Freddy Budiman shortly before his execution
An independent police-initiated team is planning to question 3 officers whose names were mentioned by a convict in a video made by government officials shortly before his execution.

The independent team, which was set up to investigate the presumed complicity of state officials and law enforcers in drug crimes, is probing allegations that members of the National Police, National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Indonesian Military (TNI) had helped slain drug convict Freddy Budiman run his business.

Freddy mentioned at least 3 names in the video that otherwise mainly depicts his spiritual journey inside the prison, team member Hendardi said. The team has obtained the copy from the directorate general for penitentiary affairs at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry.

"We are currently examining and discussing the video. We will follow up on it by questioning the officers, if necessary," Hendardi told the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday (30/08).

Freddy had allegedly given in kickbacks more than Rp 450 billion ($34 million) to the BNN and Rp 90 billion to the National Police officers.

"The names are not related to the flow of funds as confessed by Freddy Budiman to Haris Azhar," Hendardi said refusing to reveal the names or initials of the suspected officers.

Freddy had confessed about the officers' involvement in his drug business to human rights activist Haris Azhar when they met on the Nusakambangan prison island 2 years ago. Haris revealed Freddy's testimony last month, shortly before the convict faced the firing squad.

"The video also contains Freddy Budiman's advice on how to eradicate the circulation of drugs inside the prison. He also called for tighter supervision of drug inmates," Hendardi said.

Source: Jakarta Globe, September 1, 2016

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