Hope is all but lost, but Myuran Sukumaran’s friends and family are not giving up on their son. This is the message they want you to read.
Friends and family of the two ‘Bali Nine’ members on Death Row in Bali are continuing their campaigns to try to save the lives of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan. Last night, one of them stood to make an emotional plea on ABC’s Q&A program.
Kavita Krishnan, a childhood friend of Sukumaran read a letter from the death-row inmate to the Q&A panel. It said:
“I acknowledge, more than anyone, that I’ve made mistakes and that I’m not a perfect person, but I’ve learned a lot in prison and I am grateful to the Indonesian justice system and to the prison guards for allowing me to achieve all that I have for myself and for the other prisoners.
“Andrew [Chan] and I are not the same people we were 10 years ago. But who is, really?
“We did commit a serious crime and deserve punishment, but we have also paid a great deal for our crimes, as have our families. Please allow us to stay in prison and live.
“Our families should not have to suffer more for our mistakes.”
Myuran with his art in Bali’s Kerobokan Prison.
Ms Krishnan then posed a question to the panel: “Why kill the rehabilitated? Why kill the person who is a positive influence on those around them, a person who is doing good? Why kill my friend, Myu?”
Read more: Bali 9 plead for their lives in letter to Indonesian government
The panel unanimously expressed that the Bali Nine duo should not be executed, with panelist and 2GB radio host, Alan Jones, calling it “barbaric.”
“It’s a shame on the Indonesian system, but a pronounced shame on the federal police system,” said Jones, lamenting the AFP’s decision to hand over the Bali 9 to the Indonesian authorities.
Top Comments
I still maintain the west should re-instate the death penalty when caught red handed for the following:
1.) Planning/executing an act of terrorism
2.) Murder of 1 or more persons in cold blood (excluding involuntary manslaughter)
3.) Importations of grade A drugs (heroin, cocaine, meth) in excess of 2kg
4.) Rape of 1 of more persons under 16 years
Let's make the very idea of contemplating the above crimes, unthinkable!
When you are caught red handed planning something so heinous, you no longer are a human being in the eyes of the law. You have forfeited your civil rights to compassion, second chances and there is no chance of re offending ever again.
The firing squad is inexpensive (saving tax payers the bill of housing criminals for years on end in prison), will free up congestion in the prisons, is uncomplicated as an execution method and will be a massive deterrent for other copy cats.
One can only dream the west will wake up and ignore the do-gooder civil libertarians.
They are rehabilitated, are you serious, money over lives, what's wrong with people.
Executions in most Asian countries, except for those previous British Colonies, is by shooting, not various chemical cocktails that may or may not work. I would rather be shot by a marksman or hanged than strapped to a table and injected with god knows what. These guys did the crime so they have, unfortunately, to pay the penalty. But the penalty should be for bringing drugs in not taking them out. If taking them out what harm are they doing to the local citizens. I really think that the laws in all of Asia should be for bringing drugs in to their country not taking them out. Authorities should be alerted at the next port on their tickets for them to be caught and tried.