Dr Sumy Hastry Reveals Differences in Execution Process of Freddy Budiman and Bali Bombers

The execution of Freddy Budiman on 29 July 2016 at Nusakambangan Prison remains one of the most gripping moments in the public eye. Police forensic doctor Brigadier General Sumy Hastry Purwanti has revealed the details of the death penalty process, from the preparation of the convict to the moment the firing squad carried out the execution. Brigadier General Sumy Hastry Purwanti, who serves as Karolabdekkes at the Police Medical and Health Centre as well as a forensic doctor, shared her experience as part of the medical team during executions in Indonesia. She disclosed that one of the last executions she handled was that of Freddy Budiman, alongside two foreign nationals, at the Nusakambangan Penitentiary. During a discussion on the Kick Andy Show YouTube channel, host Andy F. Noya touched upon the death penalty methods applicable in Indonesia. He noted that the public is more familiar with execution by firing squad compared to other methods such as the electric chair, hanging, or lethal injection. He continued that there is a common belief that only one bullet is actually lethal, so the shooters do not know who fired the fatal shot. Andy then asked Dr Sumy Hastry to recount her experience as part of the execution team. Responding to the question, Dr Sumy Hastry admitted she was once assigned as a doctor for executions while serving in Central Java. She stated, ‘I was once part of the execution team, as the doctor, because I was stationed in Central Java. Sometimes doctors are unwilling, as doctors are meant to save lives and witness life, not death.’ Despite facing a professional dilemma, she carried out the duty as it was part of her obligation as a member of the Indonesian National Police. Before the execution, the convicts underwent a medical examination. Once declared fit, they were taken to the execution site at midnight, dressed in white. She explained, ‘We met them, they were brought in, and as usual at midnight, they were given white clothes and tied to a post so they were flat against it. As the doctor on the team, I placed a marker at the exact point where a gunshot would cause immediate death.’