Indonesia rejects Australia prison swap proposal

Indonesia has rejected a proposal by Australia to exchange prisoners, which was aimed at preventing the execution of two convicted Australian drug traffickers.

Indonesian media reports on Thursday said that Deputy Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir rejected the proposal to swap Myuran Sukumaran, 33, and Andrew Chan, 31, for Indonesian prisoners in Australian custody.

The proposal had been put forward by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop days after the two leaders of the “Bali Nine” drug trafficking group were moved from their Bali prison to the Nusakambangan Island, where they await execution by a firing squad.

Indonesia’s Attorney-General Muhammad Prasetyo also insisted the executions would go ahead and that the offer from Australia was “not relevant.”

“Are you willing for people who have poisoned our nation to be exchanged?” he said in response to the proposal by Bishop.

Sukumaran and Chan were detained in 2006 for attempting to smuggle heroin out of the Indonesian resort island of Bali and into Australia.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has repeatedly called on Jakarta not to go ahead with the executions, warning of a tough diplomatic response if it does.

In January, Indonesia executed six convicted traffickers, including foreigners from countries such as Malawi, Nigeria, the Netherlands, and Vietnam.

Brazil and the Netherlands later recalled their ambassadors in Indonesia after Jakarta brushed aside their appeals for clemency and executed their citizens.

Following the executions, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo called on foreign countries not to intervene in the Asian country’s internal affairs.

Nearly 140 people are on death row in Indonesia mostly for drug crimes. Drug offenders face harsh punishments including the death penalty in the country. About a third of the convicts are foreigners.

SZH/HJL/HMV

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