Indonesia court rejects appeal of Frenchman facing execution

[webfact]

Indonesia court rejects appeal of Frenchman facing execution
ANDI JATMIKO, Associated Press
NINIEK KARMINI, Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian court on Monday denied the final appeal of a French national who faces execution for drug offenses.

The administrative court in Jakarta said it could not overturn a presidential rejection of clemency for Serge Atlaoui, citing a lack of judicial authority.

His case has drawn national attention in France, which vigorously opposes the death penalty. Muslim majority Indonesia takes a hardline stance against drug crimes and resumed executions in 2013. So far this year it has executed 14 people convicted in drug cases. Officials justify the death penalty by pointing to the estimated 18,000 young Indonesians who die each year from drug use.

Presiding judge Ujang Abdullah said the court has no capacity to rule on the case since granting clemency is the prerogative right of the president.

"The President's right to grant clemency is granted by the constitution while the authority of the Administrative Court is just to judge on decrees issued by administrative officials," Abdullah said.

Lawyers for Atlaoui, 51, made the last-ditch appeal which had little chance of success after President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo denied clemency in December. Prosecutors dismissed the legal maneuvering as only an effort to buy time but did not try to block the appeal. Officials have been at pains to show Atlaoui was not denied any of his rights under Indonesian law after France's foreign minister Laurent Fabius condemned the handling of his case.

The Frenchman was arrested in 2005 for involvement in an ecstasy factory on the outskirts of Jakarta. His lawyers say he was employed as a welder at the factory and did not understand what the chemicals on the premises were used for.

"From the beginning of this case, we know and believe that our client is innocent," said lawyer Nancy Yuliana.

She said the legal fight will continue even though the court said all legal options are exhausted. "But I can't say what we would do next. We will discuss it with our client, his family and the French embassy.

Attorney General's office spokesman Tony Spontana said the execution would happen after the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which ends July 17 in Indonesia.

"We welcome the Jakarta Administrative Court's decision rejecting Atlaoui's last appeal," Spontana said. "This is good news for us, but we will not do anything related with his case during Ramadan."

In April, Indonesia executed eight people convicted of drug trafficking, straining relations with Australia and Brazil, whose citizens were among those shot by a firing squad.

French President Francois Hollande has warned of diplomatic consequences and possible economic fallout if Atlaoui is executed.
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AP writers Ali Kotarumalos contributed.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-06-22

[chaiyapoon]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

[Shawn0001]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

Brunei is now under Sharia Law so I ask you, is using the death penalty in a political manner worse than in a religious manner? Brunei currently enforces the death penalty for same sex relations.

Another note, some have accused Brunei of genocide due to the unexplained decreasing birth rate. As contraception is largely not available and abortions are illegal suspicions have been raised as to how a 300% reduction in births has been achieved without genocide.

Sorry to potentially change your travel plans.

[bridge2bridge]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

If you don't use drugs you have NO problem.

[gchurch259]

So, You will not go to one Muslim Country, but will go to another. Please do not so drugs in either, if you do not do drugs, what is the problem?

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

[lostcause]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

If you don't use drugs you have NO problem.

Unless, of course, you're a welder

[connda]

I would consider 'execution' to be an actual, real deterrent to drug trafficking in Indonesia. For those who decide to take the risk, well, don't do the crime if you can't do the time deflect bullets like Superman.

For the few innocents that somehow did someone silly like, accept to 'watch' someone else's bag for whatever reason, then end up on the wrong end of a firing squad, that truly sucks.

[connda]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

Brunei is now under Sharia Law so I ask you, is using the death penalty in a political manner worse than in a religious manner? Brunei currently enforces the death penalty for same sex relations.

Another note, some have accused Brunei of genocide due to the unexplained decreasing birth rate. As contraception is largely not available and abortions are illegal suspicions have been raised as to how a 300% reduction in births has been achieved without genocide.

Sorry to potentially change your travel plans.

I'm just thinking along the lines of simply never visiting predominately Muslim countries. Too many other places in the world to visit, imho.

[masuk]

I'm not at all happy about executions, but 18,000 deaths of young people due to drugs is far from good.

It's getting close to Thailand's motorbike deaths.

[little mary sunshine]

I'll just stay away from both.

[Equalizer]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

If you don't use drugs you have NO problem.

Reading between the lines with this guy it seems he didn't do drugs either. Seems to me that anyone living within 100 meters of that factory have been executed.

[Jonmarleesco]

'French President Francois Hollande has warned of diplomatic consequences ...' I'm sure Indonesia, more concerned with drug consequences than diplomatic ones, will take such a warning in its stride.

[NickJ]

A father of four. From France with a french wife and kids..Working as a welder..I wonder where the family was at this time. I also wonder what is salary was and what his banking history would show. If he was guilty and with a factory that large making that much product there is bound to be a money trail.

In other news Singapore is considering the death penalty for Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm in city limits....

Edited June 22, 2015 by NickJ

[bigote54]

with a name like that probably from Marseilles remember the movie and they all died in Bangkok or Pattaya a few years back.If you do the crime you should do the time or punishment it is on the immigration card when you come in

no sympathy.

[VINCENT2012]

Francois Hollande has warned of diplomatic consequences and possible economic fallout if Atlaoui

1)- tipical politic ...bla bla bla. crap...warned ....ohhhhh possible economic fallout . come on man ...who cares?

2)- Atlaoui has name is absolutly not a french name, but arab it is for sure.

now indonesia is a muslim country with very funny strict laws.. ..like many other muslim countries, they are not very much for democratie this guy must be also a muslim...so let the muslim make their on salad together....france should shut up and better warned our real french guys what happened in those countries before they want to go there.

myself i have nothing personal against arabs people or muslim but because of their crazy and anti-democratic laws, i just do not go there.

i avoid them all because i am against their feodal way to organize the life of their own populations!

[connda]

I'm not at all happy about executions, but 18,000 deaths of young people due to drugs is far from good.

It's getting close to Thailand's motorbike deaths.

18,000 young people die in Indonesia per year due to drugs. Wow! I didn't know that.

[connda]

A father of four. From France with a french wife and kids..Working as a welder..I wonder where the family was at this time. I also wonder what is salary was and what his banking history would show. If he was guilty and with a factory that large making that much product there is bound to be a money trail.

In other news Singapore is considering the death penalty for Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm in city limits....

Up next: Death Penalty for spitting on the sidewalk. I think I like the 2000 THB fine better.

[oneday]

Bloodthirsty Indonesia.

I never wanted to go to Bali anyway.

[Friendly Stranger]

What does religion have to do with this? Personally never been to Indonesia, but I can imagine like Thailand, that every boarder entrance has warnings of the death penalty for drugs. The difference is, the Indo's mean it.

I'm the last person to back the nut cases that condone Sharia law, but if you're into drugs/muling, flashing your body and disrespecting the ppl and certain sites in such a society, then yes, don't come to countries like this.

[canman]

A father of four. From France with a french wife and kids..Working as a welder..I wonder where the family was at this time. I also wonder what is salary was and what his banking history would show. If he was guilty and with a factory that large making that much product there is bound to be a money trail.

In other news Singapore is considering the death penalty for Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm in city limits....

You should get your facts right on the Singapore story. The muslum pr1ck was under arrest for car theft, faked chest pains and was taken to the hospital then fought with a cop and managed to get his gun. He fired three shots with intent to kill. The pr1ck gets no sympathy from me.

[hugh2121]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

If you don't use drugs you have NO problem.

Correction: If you don't use drugs OR welding equipment.

[hugh2121]

What does religion have to do with this? Personally never been to Indonesia, but I can imagine like Thailand, that every boarder entrance has warnings of the death penalty for drugs. The difference is, the Indo's mean it.

I'm the last person to back the nut cases that condone Sharia law, but if you're into drugs/muling, flashing your body and disrespecting the ppl and certain sites in such a society, then yes, don't come to countries like this.

I have lived in muslim countries and from my own observations, the natives have no respect for life of any sort.

[little mary sunshine]

Warnings are EVERYWHERE an any foreigner

Having anything to do with drugs in Indonesia

Is just STUPID AND GREEDY. And of course,

Always innocent when they get caught . No

Sympathy here.

[LawrenceChee]

No sympathy from me ...he did drugs trafficking and the sign in red is so bloody big and in bold at the airport arrival hall and announcements

He chose to disregard the law there and take a risk ...he should understand this is coming

For those not intending to visit ,..find a nanny country where they will give you a free iPad and free wifi in your condo jail cell when you are caught with this amount of drugs and please introduce all the druggies there too

Maybe a pretty girl too

Edited June 23, 2015 by LawrenceChee

[NickJ]

The guy in Singapore is 24. He was taken to the hospital after complaining of chest pains. He was under arrest for theft of a car

or attempted theft.....Grabbed the cops gun and it went off .....discharged three times. The cop had to have minor medical care on his thumb and a toe......The kid should get Five years tacked on to his sentance...not hung.

What I was trying to say in regards to the Frenchman is that Indonesia applies the death penalty for political purpose and does so very very unfairly. That fact alone makes there using it wrong.

[cookee68]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

Brunei is now under Sharia Law so I ask you, is using the death penalty in a political manner worse than in a religious manner? Brunei currently enforces the death penalty for same sex relations.

Another note, some have accused Brunei of genocide due to the unexplained decreasing birth rate. As contraception is largely not available and abortions are illegal suspicions have been raised as to how a 300% reduction in births has been achieved without genocide.

Sorry to potentially change your travel plans.

Just don't go to a Muslim run country and you will be on the right track

[Boatfreak]

Was looking at going to Indonesia next year but its becoming apparent that the country is run by a muslim fascist group that are carrying out genocide and oppression in West Papua, and using the death penalty in a political manner.Don't feel now is the time to visit. Never mind will go to Brunei instead.

If you don't use drugs you have NO problem.

No if you do not weld or paint in a company that is handling chemicals you have no problem. The Frenchman was not using or "doing" drugs.

[Boatfreak]

I'm not at all happy about executions, but 18,000 deaths of young people due to drugs is far from good.

It's getting close to Thailand's motorbike deaths.

Weird because countries decriminalizing drugs such as Portugal have no problems, The Netherlands with a liberal approach to drugs are closing down their prisons. Isn'ít it weird that just all countries with a strict no drugs policy have so huge problems?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/07/05/ten-years-after-decriminalization-drug-abuse-down-by-half-in-portugal/

http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/portugal-cut-drug-addiction-rates-in-half-by-connecting-users-with-communities

http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2014/05/why-netherlands-prisons-are-closing-2955372.html

[LawrenceChee]

I'm not at all happy about executions, but 18,000 deaths of young people due to drugs is far from good.

It's getting close to Thailand's motorbike deaths.

Weird because countries decriminalizing drugs such as Portugal have no problems, The Netherlands with a liberal approach to drugs are closing down their prisons. Isn'ít it weird that just all countries with a strict no drugs policy have so huge problems?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/07/05/ten-years-after-decriminalization-drug-abuse-down-by-half-in-portugal/

http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/portugal-cut-drug-addiction-rates-in-half-by-connecting-users-with-communities

http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2014/05/why-netherlands-prisons-are-closing-2955372.html

True ....wondering why all these western folks are trying to import there stuff here to Asia ...stick to Netherlands and Portugal where this is all unicorns and fairies...such a beautiful place

The answer is simple - exploitation

[oldsailor35]

Despite the Indonesian PM having the Australians murdered, 10 years after the incident where they were caught taking drugs "OUT" of Indonesia, and the Indonesian army carrying on with their practice of genocide against unarmed natives in West Papua, the stupid gutless Australians are still giving Indonesia millions of dollars in aid. The Indonesians say that they are concerned for their young Indonesians who are dying from drugs each year, but do not seem concerned that their own police are up to their necks in the drug trade. Only last year three top Indonesian anti drug police were caught taking a suitcase of drugs (probably seized) into Malaysia, but freed after negotiations between Malaysian and Indonesian officials. These murders (executions) are just a bastard act of political flag waving.