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Indonesia | 14 years on death row: Timeline of Mary Jane Veloso’s ordeal and fight for justice

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MANILA, Philippines — The case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking, has spanned over a decade and remains one of the most high-profile legal battles involving an overseas Filipino worker. Veloso was arrested on April 25, 2010, at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, after she was found in possession of more than 2.6 kilograms of heroin. She was sentenced to death in October – just six months after her arrest. Indonesia’s Supreme Court upheld the penalty in May 2011.

Indonesia to speed up drug executions

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INDONESIA says it will speed up the execution process of drug traffickers, in a major blow for three Australians on death row for heroin smuggling.

As authorities prepared for the executions last night of 2 Nigerian heroin smugglers, Attorney-General Hendarman Supandji said other drug offenders on death row could expect their cases to be expedited.

The head of Indonesia's anti-drugs group also said executions must take place more quickly to deter traffickers.

"To give them a lesson, drug traffickers must be executed immediately," Police chief and National Anti-Narcotic Body chairman General Sutanto said.

"With a quick trial and execution process it will give a deterrent effect to the perpetrators, and perpetrators-to-be," he said.

The comments are a blow for the 3 Australians on death row over the failed Bali 9 plot to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin into Australiain 2005.

The Nigerians were expected to be the 1st drug offenders put to death in Indonesia since 2004, and the 1st since the Bali 9 were arrested.

"The sentences are a grim reminder of how serious the issue of the death penalty is," said Darwin-based lawyer Colin MacDonald, QC, who represents Bali 9 death-row inmate Scott Rush.

Rush, who was a drug mule in the Bali 9 plot, and ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, failed in a legal challenge to Indonesia's harsh drug laws last year. They still have the option of seeking a judicial review of their death sentences, and a clemency appeal to the President.

Mr MacDonald said he was working hard to ensure Rush escaped the firing squad.

Officials said the 2 Nigerians had been moved to a special cell at their prison on Nusakambangan Island, off Central Java, before their executions by firing squad.

Hansen Anthony Nwaolisa, 40, was sentenced to die for trafficking 600 grams of heroin in 43 capsules, which he had swallowed in Pakistan before arriving at Jakarta airport.

Okoye was caught carrying 3.8 kilograms of heroin in the lining of 2 pieces of luggage at Jakarta airport, after arriving from India.

Source: AAP
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