Amnesty launches appeal for Thais
Amnesty launches appeal for Thais
The Jakarta Post, Agencies
Rights watchdog Amnesty International has issued a last-ditch
appeal to the Indonesian government to stop the execution of two
Thais convicted on drugs charges.
Namson Sirilak, 32, and Saelow Prasert, 62, are facing
execution in the city of Medan in the near future for possessing
12 kilograms (26.5 pounds) of heroin.
In a statement made available to the media on Thursday, the
London-based rights group condemned the Indonesian court for its
failure to abide by due process in convicting the two Thais, and
accordingly demanded that the executions not go ahead.
"Amnesty International believes that their trials may not have
been fair as they did not have access to legal representation
before their trial or to interpreters during the police
investigation," the group was quoted as saying by AFP.
The group also urged Indonesians and other concerned people to
register their objections to the executions with President
Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The call may fall on deaf ears, however, as Megawati had
earlier rejected appeals for clemency from the Thais and eight
others facing imminent execution.
The planned executions of Namson and Saelow come after the earlier
execution of Indian national Ayodhya Prasad Chaubey, who was
arrested alongside the Thais in 1994. Chaubey was put to death
last month by firing squad, the first execution in Indonesia
since 2001.
The two Thais have been in isolation cells since Sunday, a
sign that their execution day may be close at hand.
There were no new developments as of Thursday afternoon, with
dozens of journalists still standing by at Tanjung Gusta
Penitentiary, where the two Thais are being held, Antara news
agency reported.
"I have been here for 10 days. But, as of today (Thursday),
there has still been no official confirmation of where and when
the execution will take place," said a female television
reporter.
Separately, drug activist Zulkarnain Nasution called on the
relevant officials to display the remains of the two Thais to the
public after their execution so as to convince the public that
they had in fact been put to death.