This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/23/world/asia/indonesia-rejects-appeal-by-serge-atlaoui-french-drug-convict-on-death-row.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Indonesia Rejects Appeal by French Drug Convict on Death Row Indonesia Rejects Appeal by French Drug Convict on Death Row
(about 5 hours later)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — An Indonesian court rejected on Monday an appeal of a French drug convict, potentially reigniting international tensions over the country’s use of the death penalty for serious narcotics offenses.JAKARTA, Indonesia — An Indonesian court rejected on Monday an appeal of a French drug convict, potentially reigniting international tensions over the country’s use of the death penalty for serious narcotics offenses.
The convict, Serge Atlaoui, 51, lost his appeal to the Jakarta State Administrative Court, which aimed to upend President Joko Widodo’s decision last December to deny him clemency following a death sentence. The convict, Serge Atlaoui, 51, lost his appeal to the State Administrative Court in Jakarta, which aimed to upend President Joko Widodo’s decision last December to deny him clemency following a death sentence.
A spokesman for the attorney general’s office, Tony Spontana, said the appeal was the last such legal maneuver available to Mr. Atlaoui. An execution is unlikely to be scheduled before the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan on July 17, Mr. Spontana said.A spokesman for the attorney general’s office, Tony Spontana, said the appeal was the last such legal maneuver available to Mr. Atlaoui. An execution is unlikely to be scheduled before the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan on July 17, Mr. Spontana said.
Since entering office in October, Mr. Joko has taken a hard line against drug kingpins, with his administration arguing that they are complicit in an epidemic of drug-related deaths, particularly among the young. In April, eight drug felons — all but one of them foreign citizens — were executed. In his ruling on Monday, Judge Ujang Abdullah said the Jakarta court had no capacity to rule on the case because granting clemency is the prerogative of the president.
Since entering office in October, Mr. Joko has taken a hard line against drug traffickers, with his administration arguing that they are complicit in an epidemic of drug-related deaths, particularly among the young. In April, eight drug felons — all but one of them foreign citizens — were executed.
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius of France said Monday that his country firmly opposed the death penalty and was “totally mobilized” behind Mr. Atlaoui, Reuters reported. “We’re in contact with the family and lawyers of Serge Atlaoui, who plan further courses of action,” Mr. Fabius said in a statement.
President François Hollande of France has warned of “consequences” should Mr. Atlaoui be put to death. Australia recalled its ambassador after two of its citizens were among those executed in April.President François Hollande of France has warned of “consequences” should Mr. Atlaoui be put to death. Australia recalled its ambassador after two of its citizens were among those executed in April.
Fallout from Mr. Joko’s backing of the courts has also come from unexpected sources. Brazil and Nigeria, longtime allies of Indonesia among the so-called nonaligned nations, both issued diplomatic complaints after losing two of their citizens. The refusal by Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, to accept credentials from Mr. Joko’s choice for ambassador to the South American country was seen as part of the rebuke. Fallout from the executions has also come from unexpected sources. Brazil and Nigeria, longtime allies of Indonesia among the so-called nonaligned nations, both issued diplomatic complaints after two of their citizens were executed. The refusal by Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, to accept credentials from Mr. Joko’s choice for ambassador to the South American country was seen as part of the rebuke.
“That was a serious blow,” said Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch in Indonesia. “They expected it from the Australians. They didn’t expect such opposition from Brazil or Nigeria.”“That was a serious blow,” said Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch in Indonesia. “They expected it from the Australians. They didn’t expect such opposition from Brazil or Nigeria.”
Mr. Atlaoui, who has maintained his innocence, was arrested in 2005 after a raid on a drug lab outside of Jakarta that reportedly produced 220 pounds of Ecstasy tablets every week. Mr. Atlaoui says he was installing machinery in what he thought was an acrylics factory. He and a woman from the Philippines won last-minute reprieves ahead of the executions in April.Mr. Atlaoui, who has maintained his innocence, was arrested in 2005 after a raid on a drug lab outside of Jakarta that reportedly produced 220 pounds of Ecstasy tablets every week. Mr. Atlaoui says he was installing machinery in what he thought was an acrylics factory. He and a woman from the Philippines won last-minute reprieves ahead of the executions in April.
In his ruling on Monday, Judge Ujang Abdullah said the Jakarta court had no capacity to rule on the case because granting clemency is the prerogative of the president. The Indonesian authorities have cited a request from the Philippine government for Ms. Veloso to act as a witness in a human trafficking case as the reason for her stay of execution. The status of Ms. Veloso’s case was unclear on Monday.
The ruling by the Jakarta administrative court was consistent with its previous rejection of a petition by two Australians executed in April, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. That petition had sought to compel Mr. Joko to provide a reason for denying them clemency.
In 2013, under the leadership of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesia brought back the death penalty for drug trafficking — after a four-year moratorium and ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections. Indonesia executed six people on drug charges in January, five of them foreign citizens.In 2013, under the leadership of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesia brought back the death penalty for drug trafficking — after a four-year moratorium and ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections. Indonesia executed six people on drug charges in January, five of them foreign citizens.
The death penalty for drug convicts is wildly popular here. Mr. Joko has repeatedly dismissed any chance of clemency for such prisoners, arguing that on average between 30 and 50 Indonesians die each day from overdoses and accidents linked to the use of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine.The death penalty for drug convicts is wildly popular here. Mr. Joko has repeatedly dismissed any chance of clemency for such prisoners, arguing that on average between 30 and 50 Indonesians die each day from overdoses and accidents linked to the use of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine.
The controversy comes at a time when the Indonesian economy is growing at its slowest rate in more than five years. Hundreds of billions of dollars in spending on new ports, rail links and badly needed services is only in the planning stages.
Luhut Pandjaitan, Mr. Joko’s chief of staff, said that the president was so far unwilling to change his mind on the issue. “We are busy with our agenda.”Luhut Pandjaitan, Mr. Joko’s chief of staff, said that the president was so far unwilling to change his mind on the issue. “We are busy with our agenda.”