Bali Nine: Joko Widodo 'open to views on executions,' says Jakarta's governor

Indonesian President Joko Widodo

Kerobokan, Bali: Jakarta's governor has told an Indonesian media outlet that the country's President Joko Widodo is "considering different views" on the death penalty, including advice that it should be removed from Indonesia's laws.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok, was Mr Joko's deputy for two years at city hall, and succeeded Mr Joko as governor when he became president.

Visiting a prison in Jakarta on Saturday, Ahok revealed he had told the president he believes the death penalty should be removed from Indonesia's laws and replaced with life in jail without remission.

"If from inside (jail) they're still controlling drugs, then execute them immediately that day," Ahok was quoted by local news website detik.com as saying.

"But if people want to change, give them a chance to live. Maybe he can make other people more aware instead of punishing him with death ... I don't agree with the death penalty."

The governor's comments come days away from the planned transfer of Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan to the island where Indonesia is set to execute them, together with eight other drug offenders.

Bali's chief prosecutor has said they could be taken from their cells in Kerobokan as soon as Sunday and taken to one of several jails on Nusakambangan, known as Indonesia's Alcatraz.

The head of Central Java corrections, Ahmad Yaspahruddin, also confirmed to Fairfax that Nusakambangan would be ready to accept prisoners today.

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Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, March 1, 2015 (local time)

Widodo's mate begs him to show mercy

Tony Abbott, Joko Widodo

Indonesian President Joko Widodo's close friend and current Jakarta Governor has delivered a strong anti death penalty argument to the President saying he disagrees with the death penalty for drug traffickers because they can change and be rehabilitated.

Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, conveyed his views to the President, whom he says is careful and considerate when it comes to taking advice and making decisions.

Ahok was the President's deputy governor for 2 years when Jokowi, as he is known, was the Governor of Jakarta.

The pair are known to be close and Ahok's advice adds significant weight to Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran's bid to be spared the firing squad because of their remarkable rehabilitation in jail.

Ahok, a powerful figure in Jakarta, reportedly made the comments on Saturday during a visit to the Pondok Bambu Prison in East Jakarta.

Chan and Sukumaran, who have reformed and set up a series of rehabilitation programs inside Kerobokan jail in Bali, face imminent execution after the President rejected their clemency pleas and ordered the execution of all drug traffickers.

The central point of their clemency and an appeal in a Jakarta court is that their rehabilitation should be taken into account when considering their bid for a pardon

"I do not agree with the death sentence. They have an opportunity to be a better person," Ahok said of convicted drug criminals, quoted by Indonesian newspaper Kompas.

He told reporters that the sentence for drug criminals should be a life sentence without remission and they should be tightly supervised.

Ahok said that the death sentence only deserved to be given to criminals nabbed for consuming drugs in jail.

"If they still control drugs inside (the prison), they should be executed directly on that day. But if they want to change, give (them) the opportunity to live. Maybe he or she can help other people's awareness of their faults rather than executing them," Ahok said.

Ahok said he did not agree with the death penalty for drugs but agreed if it was a sadistic murderer.

"This is my opinion about human rights. I delivered it to Mr President. I know that he is careful and correct in listening to all suggestions. This is my experience with him," Ahok said.

He did not elaborate on the President's response to his suggestion.

The strong anti death penalty comments come as President Widodo reportedly said the executions of Chan and Sukumaran would go ahead despite his conversation last week with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

"Our position is clear. Our laws cannot be interfered with," the President told Jakarta business newspaper Kontan in answer to a question about the Abbott phone call.

Mr Abbott had earlier said that his Indonesian counterpart was "carefully considering" his position.

Chan and Sukumaran were on Saturday visited in jail by their families as their fate hangs in the balance. They are among 10 drug traffickers, 9 of them foreigners, who face imminent execution on Nusa Kambangan prison island, off the coast of Central Java.

While paramilitary police held a dress rehearsal of their transfer from Bali to Java on Friday, the Attorney General has yet to set a date for their move and execution.

Source: news.com.au, February 28, 2015

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