Amnesty Rejects Death Penalty for Crew Member Fandi, Citing Hindrance to Uncovering Drug Syndicate
Amnesty International Indonesia rejects the demand for the death penalty against Fandi Ramadhan, a crew member of the Sea Dragon, who is being tried in a drug smuggling case in Batam. The organisation believes that the death sentence could potentially hinder the uncovering of the drug syndicate’s network.
Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, stated that the death penalty is a form of inhumane punishment and is being abandoned by many countries.
“The world now views the death penalty as an inhumane, cruel, and degrading punishment. Even countries that used to implement this rule, such as the Netherlands, have long abolished it because, in reality, this punishment is unfair,” said Usman in Jakarta, Thursday (February 26, 2026).
Regarding Fandi’s case, Usman asked law enforcement officials to be more sensitive to the defendant’s socio-economic background. According to him, crew members are often merely exploited by syndicates.
“Law enforcement must be sensitive to people from the lower class, such as crew members, who are actually just tools or exploited by drug syndicates. What should be targeted is the drug syndicate, not ordinary citizens who are, let’s say, exploited by them. Especially with the death penalty,” he emphasised.
He added that the application of the death penalty to couriers or those who are exploited risks eliminating the opportunity for the state to uncover the main actors and a wider network.
“The application of the death penalty to those who are exploited actually eliminates the opportunity for the state to find out who the syndicate is, to trace who the main actors are, and to uncover the network. It is possible that the network can move so freely because it is backed and supported by state elements. That is the practice, isn’t it?” he said.
Fandi Ramadhan was previously tried at the Batam District Court regarding alleged smuggling of 1,995,130 grams of methamphetamine, or almost 2 tons. The Public Prosecutor demanded the death penalty for Fandi and five other defendants.
The Head of the Legal Information Centre of the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna, stated that the demand was based on legal facts and evidence revealed at the trial.
“Therefore, on February 5, 2026, the prosecution was carried out against the six defendants, and each was charged with the death penalty. Of course, the public prosecutor in carrying out the prosecution is based on legal facts and evidence revealed at the trial,” he said, Friday (February 20).
Chairman of Commission III of the DPR, Habiburokhman, stated that the DPR does not interfere in the drug case of crew member Fandi Ramadhan at the Batam District Court.