Rudd confirms death penalty opposition as Bali executions loom

Kevin Rudd (pictured) has reaffirmed Australia's opposition to the death penalty as the Bali bombers await execution, while describing the terrorists as callous murderers.

Risking the anger of victims' relatives in the lead-up to the execution, the Prime Minister has unequivocally stated the federal Government's position after backbenchers complained he needed to make it clear.

"Well, the Bali bombers are murderers," he said today. "Many... have been affected by their murderous, cowardly and callous act. It's appalling.

"But I am not going to pretend to you that our policy on the death penalty has changed."

The Government has also warned there may be an increased risk of terrorist activity in Indonesia as the execution looms, warning Australians to think carefully before travelling to the region.

Mr Rudd said his position remained clear - that Australia would not intervene to oppose the executions and would only make special represenations on behalf of Australians facing the death penalty.

He said he was not aware that Indonesia had advised Australia of the execution date.

"We are universally opposed to the death penalty," he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

"We make no exception to that. That's been a bipartisan policy between us and the Liberals.

"Secondly, the other part of our policy is when any individual is convicted of the death penality anywhere in the world, we the Australian Government only intervene in the case of Australian citizens."

The Prime Minister's comments follow pressure from anti-death-penalty Labor backbenchers for the Government to state a clear position and the recent furore over WA Labor MP Melissa Parke's warning that the execution of the Bali bombers "will only decrease our human dignity" - a claim that angered victims' families.

Last year, Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Robert McClelland was forced to apologise to the families of Bali victims for speaking out against the death penalty for terrorists so close to the anniversary of the attacks.

Mr McClelland said at the time he was "very conscious ... this was a mistake I made" and "I would apologise for any hurt that any of those people may justifiably feel."

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said today speculation about the execution date of the Bali bombers only added to the suffering of the bombing victims' families.

"We have the understanding, from what the Indonesians have said publicly, that that (execution) is effectively imminent," Mr Smith told ABC Radio today.

"It's entirely a matter for the Indonesian authorities, it's a matter for their judicial and legal processes.

"Every time the matter is referred to, the families of the victims of the bombing will just relive the agony of the loss of loved ones."

Despite Labor's opposition to the death penalty, Mr Smith said: "We don't make representations on behalf of nationals of other countries, and we certainly don't make representations on behalf of terrorists in relation to the death penalty.

"We don't see that in any way as being contradictory," he told Sky News.

The Government has also warned there may be an increased risk of terrorist activity in Indonesia as the execution looms, warning Australians to think carefully before travelling to the region.

Mr Rudd said his position remained clear - that Australia would not intervene to oppose the executions and would only make special represenations on behalf of Australians facing the death penalty.

He said he was not aware that Indonesia had advised Australia of the execution date.

Source: The Australian

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