Chan and Sukumaran urged to accept reality

Andrew Chan, Myuran Sukumaran

Bali's head ombudsman says Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran should accept the reality that authorities are determined to execute them.

Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are keeping their spirits up even as authorities around them say they should come to terms with Indonesia's determination to execute them soon.

Kerobokan jail governor Sudjonggo says the men, who are the driving forces behind his prison's successful rehabilitation programs, are faring well.

He says he has no word on when they will be transferred to Nusakambangan, the island Indonesia is preparing for the executions of the Bali Nine pair and eight other drug offenders.

"I don't know yet when they're going to be transferred," he told reporters on Thursday.

"I'm not seeing them packing yet either. Myuran's paintings are still in the studio."

Bali's head ombudsman Umar Ibnu Alkhatab inspected the prison on Thursday and found all was running normally, albeit with "special attention" to the Australians.

"We also met Andrew and Myuran," he told reporters.

"They said that they have shared their knowledge and experience.

"Psychologically, they're ready, in good health.

"I think they should accept reality."

On Nusakambangan, building work was going on to remedy the lack of isolation cells and other facilities to handle the executions of 10 prisoners at once.

Media are not allowed on the central Java island, but even from afar it is obvious a large new building has been constructed behind the police station in the past week.

Attorney-General HM Prasetyo has confirmed that 10 will face the firing squad as soon as preparations are complete, but he has not named them all.

There are 10 drug offenders on death row, with the confirmation that another Nigerian man, Okwudili Oyatanze, has been denied presidential clemency.

According to media reports, he and three others were caught smuggling heroin into Jakarta in 2001.

President Joko Widodo wishes to deny all death row drug offenders clemency, believing it's a good shock tactic in the war against narcotics.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott spoke to Mr Joko by phone on Wednesday night regarding the condemned Australians, and described the conversation as positive.

Mr Joko has also spoken with leaders of France, Brazil, and the Netherlands regarding their citizens facing the death penalty, but has maintained it's the republic's sovereign right to carry out its laws.

Lawyers for Chan and Sukumaran are planning a legal appeal and argue it would be unjust to execute them in the meantime.

Source: SBS.com.au, AAP, Feb. 27, 2015 (local time)

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Vigil planned ahead of high-profile Oklahoma inmate's execution

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Alabama executes Michael Shannon Taylor

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Why Many Americans Think Christa Pike Should Undergo a Second Execution Attempt

On October 20, Reuters released the results of a survey showing that 33% of the American public want Tennessee to try again to put Christa Pike to death. Another 26% are undecided. That means 59% of the public would support or be open to such a possibility. I want to suggest a reason why. Second execution attempts are rare in this country and, as a result, the public knows little if anything about them. That may help explain why so many would give Tennessee another chance to kill Christa Pike.

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