Coordinating Minister: Transfer Of Bali Nine Prisoners Is Carried Out On Respirokal Requirements

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction Yusril Ihza Mahendra/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction Yusril Ihza Mahendra emphasized that the transfer of the convict in the narcotics smuggling case, Bali Nine, to his home country Australia was carried out on a reciprocal condition.

During a joint press conference after meeting with Australian Interior Minister Tony Burke Yusril explained that the Australian government must consider that one day the Indonesian government will also ask Indonesian citizens to be returned to the country. However, Indonesia has not yet submitted a request for the transfer of Indonesian prisoners to Australia.

He emphasized that the transfer of prisoners is different from the exchange of prisoners so that no prisoners are exchanged if the Balinese Nine are transferred to Australia.

"We are not asking for an exchange of prisoners. We are transferring toprisoners, but on the condition that they are reciprocal. We are not making exchanges at the same time," said Yusril as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, December 3.

According to Yusril, the transfer of convicts who are members of Bali Nine was not carried out on the basis of compensation. This transfer is based on the intention of President Prabowo Subianto taking discretion at the request for the transfer of prisoners proposed by the Australian Government.

"Pahap sekarang kita tidak sama sekali melakukan exchangeofprisoners, tidak juga melakukan pendapatan, tidak sama sekali. Ini benar-benar niat baik yang disampaikan oleh Presiden. Dia mau memberikan (diskresi)," tutur Yusril saat ditemukan terpisah.

The reciprocal principle is included in the draft of cooperation requirements for the transfer of Bali Nine prisoners which Yusril handed over to Tony this Tuesday. The Australian government still needs time to study the draft.

With the submission of the draft, the transfer of the convict Bali Nine now entirely depends on the Australian Government.

Yusril said the transfer could be carried out in December if the Australian Government immediately agreed on the conditions provided by Indonesia.

Bali Nine is the nickname for nine Australian inmates who were arrested in Bali for being involved in a drug syndicate case in 2005. They were proven to have smuggled 8.2 kilograms of heroin from Indonesia to Australia.

The nine inmates are Andrew Chan, Myuran Sukumarian, Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Renae Lawrance, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, and Martin Stephens.

Now there are five Bali Nine inmates in Indonesia, namely Si Yi, Michael, Matthew, Scott, and Martin.

Andrew and Myuran were executed in 2015, Renae was released in 2018, while Tan Duc died in 2018 while serving life imprisonment.