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Bali Nine duo families to mark anniversary as executions likely to resume in Indonesia this year
Family and friends of Bali Nine duo Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will gather for memorial services to mark the anniversary of their executions.
Chan's family will attend a Hillsong chapel in Sydney's northwest today, a year after he was put to death by an Indonesian firing squad alongside Sukumaran.
A private service for Sukumaran is expected to be held separately tomorrow at the nearby DaySpring Church in Castle Hill.
Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 34, were executed along with six other drug offenders on the island of Nusakambangan on April 29, 2015, 10 years after they were caught smuggling heroin in Bali.
Chan's brother Michael previously said the family had been struggling ahead of the anniversary.
"(It) has been a roller coaster ride for the family to come to terms with the loss," he told Reprieve Australia, an organisation fighting the death penalty.
"There has not been a day that has gone by that he is not in our thoughts. Countries need to look at ways to rehabilitate prisoners instead of executing them."
Febyanti Herewila, who married Chan two days ahead of his execution, told Reprieve his legacy to abolish the death penalty will continue.
In the years and months before the pair's executions, Indonesia faced intensifying condemnation from human rights activists and international governments.
The pressure continues with German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressing her country's wish for Indonesia to put an end to capital punishment, during Indonesian President Joko Widodo's recent visit to Europe.
Despite this, Security Minister Luhut Panjaitan and Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo have flagged executions are likely to resume this year.
Head of Central Java's Corrections Division Molyanto said they were currently building more isolation cells - where those awaiting execution are kept - at Nusakambangan prison.
But he denied reports that the "execution field" is being extended.
Sukumaran and Chan's Australian barrister Julian McMahon said it was "surprising" further executions were back on Indonesia's agenda.
"The fact is after the international dismay in April 2015 executions have now stopped for 12 months. The reason has not been publicly identified, except by reference to economic priorities. But most commentators think that international reaction would be very relevant," he said.
Indonesian lawyer Dr Todung Mulya Lubis - who tweeted "I failed. I lost" after his clients' executions last year - has been campaigning against capital punishment in the country since 1979.
Since then he feels they have made "small progress".
"We have made people aware of the death penalty ... I believe over time we will be able to score some wins."
While he cannot see the abolition of the death penalty happening in Indonesia "any time soon", he hopes a bill tabled before parliament last year might prove a "middle way".
Under the proposed changes, if people show they have rehabilitated themselves, they could see their execution commuted to a life sentence.
He also noted "the international campaign must also be more tactful not to embarrass Indonesia".
According to the Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) in Indonesia, more than 100 people are on death row in the country. Just over half of these are for murder while two face capital punishment for terrorism offences.
The rest are due to be executed for drug offences.
Mr McMahon said "this week was proving very difficult for the families as they come to grips with their own grief and the loss of Andrew and Myuran."
In their last few years, he said the pair had "uplifted, educated and improved many prisoners."
"If they had lived that example would have so easily multiplied out for the benefit of more and more prisoners."
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/04/29/03/37/bali-nine-duo-families-to-mark-anniversary
Family and friends of Bali Nine duo Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will gather for memorial services to mark the anniversary of their executions.
Chan's family will attend a Hillsong chapel in Sydney's northwest today, a year after he was put to death by an Indonesian firing squad alongside Sukumaran.
A private service for Sukumaran is expected to be held separately tomorrow at the nearby DaySpring Church in Castle Hill.
Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 34, were executed along with six other drug offenders on the island of Nusakambangan on April 29, 2015, 10 years after they were caught smuggling heroin in Bali.
Chan's brother Michael previously said the family had been struggling ahead of the anniversary.
"(It) has been a roller coaster ride for the family to come to terms with the loss," he told Reprieve Australia, an organisation fighting the death penalty.
"There has not been a day that has gone by that he is not in our thoughts. Countries need to look at ways to rehabilitate prisoners instead of executing them."
Febyanti Herewila, who married Chan two days ahead of his execution, told Reprieve his legacy to abolish the death penalty will continue.
In the years and months before the pair's executions, Indonesia faced intensifying condemnation from human rights activists and international governments.
The pressure continues with German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressing her country's wish for Indonesia to put an end to capital punishment, during Indonesian President Joko Widodo's recent visit to Europe.
Despite this, Security Minister Luhut Panjaitan and Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo have flagged executions are likely to resume this year.
Head of Central Java's Corrections Division Molyanto said they were currently building more isolation cells - where those awaiting execution are kept - at Nusakambangan prison.
But he denied reports that the "execution field" is being extended.
Sukumaran and Chan's Australian barrister Julian McMahon said it was "surprising" further executions were back on Indonesia's agenda.
"The fact is after the international dismay in April 2015 executions have now stopped for 12 months. The reason has not been publicly identified, except by reference to economic priorities. But most commentators think that international reaction would be very relevant," he said.
Indonesian lawyer Dr Todung Mulya Lubis - who tweeted "I failed. I lost" after his clients' executions last year - has been campaigning against capital punishment in the country since 1979.
Since then he feels they have made "small progress".
"We have made people aware of the death penalty ... I believe over time we will be able to score some wins."
While he cannot see the abolition of the death penalty happening in Indonesia "any time soon", he hopes a bill tabled before parliament last year might prove a "middle way".
Under the proposed changes, if people show they have rehabilitated themselves, they could see their execution commuted to a life sentence.
He also noted "the international campaign must also be more tactful not to embarrass Indonesia".
According to the Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) in Indonesia, more than 100 people are on death row in the country. Just over half of these are for murder while two face capital punishment for terrorism offences.
The rest are due to be executed for drug offences.
Mr McMahon said "this week was proving very difficult for the families as they come to grips with their own grief and the loss of Andrew and Myuran."
In their last few years, he said the pair had "uplifted, educated and improved many prisoners."
"If they had lived that example would have so easily multiplied out for the benefit of more and more prisoners."
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/04/29/03/37/bali-nine-duo-families-to-mark-anniversary
