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HomeNationIndian national, on death row in Indonesia, not executed: Sushma Swaraj

Indian national, on death row in Indonesia, not executed: Sushma Swaraj

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The stay on the execution of 10 drug convicts, including Indian national Gurdip Singh, in Indonesia was a “last minute decision” after considering judicial issues and a final decision on their fate is yet to be made, the country’s attorney general M Prasetyo said on Friday.

Sushma Swaraj-AV
Singh, who was to be executed last night on drug charges in Indonesia, has not been put to death, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Friday.

“Indian Ambassador in Indonesia has informed me that Gurdip Singh whose execution was fixed for last night, has not been executed,” Swaraj said on twitter.

He was found guilty by an Indonesian court of trying to smuggle in 300 grams of heroin and was handed death penalty in 2005.

Despite widespread criticism by rights advocates and appeals from distraught families and foreign governments, Indonesia executed four drug convicts early on Friday. Ten other condemned people who were to face a firing squad were granted a reprieve.

Talking to reporters in Jakarta, Prasetyo said the execution of the 10 death row prisoners on Nusakambangan prison island in Cilacap city was a “last minute decision after considering various judicial and non-judicial aspects”.

Singh, who hails from Jalandhar in Punjab, is among 14 people who were facing execution after the authorities decided to resume implementing death penalty.

Singh was arrested on August 29, 2004, at the Soekarno Hatta Airport on charges of drug trafficking. The Tangerang Court awarded him capital punishment in February 2005, against the prosecutors’ request for 20 years imprisonment.

His appeal against the death penalty was turned down by the High Court of Banten in May, 2005. He then appealed to the Supreme Court which also upheld his death penalty. He is presently detained at Nusakambangan Pasir Putih, Cilacap.

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