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Japan | Hakamada found religion, but then felt under attack by ‘the devil’

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Editor's note: This is the last in a four-part series on letters that Iwao Hakamada wrote while on death row. About a decade after cursing God, Iwao Hakamada was baptized Catholic at the Tokyo Detention House on Dec. 24, 1984. “Since I have been given the Christian name Paul, I am keenly feeling that I should be aware of the greatness of Paul.” (June 1985)

Rudd pushes clemency for Bali 9 ringleaders

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Myuran Sukumaran (left)
Andrew Chan (right)
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has used his visit to Indonesia to raise the issue of 2 members of the Bali Nine who have lost their final appeals against the death penalty.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have both had their appeals rejected in the past month.

The pair now face the firing squad unless Indonesia's president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, grants clemency.

Mr Rudd says they have the full backing of the Australian Government in their fight for clemency.

"That's why I have raised that matter with Pak Marty today as I have done on practically every other occasion I have met him, and Bapak president in recent years," he said.

Mr Rudd's Indonesian counterpart, Marty Natalegawa, says he is sure the request will be considered.

"This is a serious matter and I'm sure the president will give it the attention that it deserves," he said.

"This is not the first time, as Mr Rudd said, that the issue has been raised and we do exactly the same for our nationals."

Chan and Sukumaran are in jail in Bali for their roles in a plan to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin from Bali to Australia in 2005.

Earlier this week Sukumaran's lawyer, Julian McMahon, said both Chan and Sukumaran are far from being the worst of the worst offenders.

"These two have completely rehabilitated themselves and are now in the process of educating and helping a lot of other prisoners get their lives in order," he said.

"Now not only is that a fantastic step, but it is also a step that merits some clemency in their sentence."

Source: ABC News, July 8, 2011
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Location: Bali, Indonésie
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