ONLY FOUR CONVICTS EXECUTED IN THIRD WAVE OF EXECUTIONS by Fardah

Jakarta, July 29, 2016 (Antara) - Only four death row inmates convicted for drug trafficking were finally executed out of the 14 announced earlier by the Indonesian authorities.

         The four were drug kingpin Freddy Budiman of Indonesia, Humprey Ejike and Michael Titus of Nigeria, as well as Seck Osmane, a Nigerian national but holding a Senegalese passport.

         The convicts faced the firing squads at the Tunggal Panaluan shooting range in Nusakambangan Island off Central Java's southern coast at 12:46 a.m. local time on July 29.

         Junior Attorney General for General Crimes Noor Rachmad did not offer any explanation on why only four out of the 10 were executed.

         "(The decision was made) following a comprehensive study," he responded briefly.

         Rachmad further remarked that the four had allegedly committed grave crimes, and the next wave of executions of the other death row inmates would be made public later on.

         "Right now, we do not know whether the remaining death row inmates have appealed for clemency. Based on the result of our study with the existing team, only four would be executed for the time being. There are several aspects we have to take into account," he explained.

         Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo had stated earlier that the 14 drug convicts on death row would face the firing squad.  

THIRD WAVE OF EXECUTIONS OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS IMMINENT by Fardah

Jakarta, July 27, 2016 (Antara)- Despite the Indonesian media lately giving greater coverage to the planned cabinet reshuffle, but it does not mean there are no activities hinting that the third wave of executions would be conducted soon. 
    Most of the relevant ministers, who were ordered by the president to remain in Jakarta allegedly in connection with the cabinet reshuffle, declined to give further information on the execution plan.

         However, according to the media, as many as 14 death row inmates, all drug convicts, have been placed in an isolation cell at the Batu prison on the island of Nusakambangan, off this southern Central Java coastal town.

        The 14 prisoners were moved to the isolation cell in the evening of July 25 with the help of the personnel of the Police's Mobile Brigade.

        "The 14 included two from the Pasir Putih prison, another two from the Kembang Kuning prison, one from the Besi prison, and nine from the Batu prison," reliable sources said in response to Antara's questions.

        The isolation cell is a new structure behind the Batu prison building.

        According to the source, the prisoners being moved to the isolation cell hinted that the executions were imminent.      

INDONESIAN AG SET TO CARRY OUT THIRD WAVE OF EXECUTIONS by Fardah

     Jakarta, July 16, 2016 (Antara) - Any move to execute convicts on the death row continues to draw strong criticism since many NGOs strongly oppose and criticize such an approach.

         Last year, the Indonesian government was flooded with criticisms from within the country as well as by other nations for having executed 14 drug convicts on death row.

         Notwithstanding the lack of popular support, Attorney General HM Prasetyo has decided not to flinch this year, and instead indicated that the third wave of executions would be carried out soon.

         "You see the preparations that we made yesterday. I have even seen the activities in Nusakambangan where arrangements are being made to carry out the executions," Prasetyo said on July 15.

         Like last year, the prisoners would be brought to Nusakambangan to face executions, he said.

         Nusakambangan is an island off Cilacap, southern coast of Central Java, notorious for its exile prison where hard core criminals are housed.

         "The Central Java police has also tightened security. They have agreed to coordinate with us," Prasetyo said.

         He declined to disclose the names of death row inmates who will be facing the firing squads, but confirmed that there would be more than two convicts, and will include Indonesian, Nigerian and Zimbabwe citizens.

         The attorney general said he would later inform the embassies of the convicts concerned through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.