A British woman facing execution in Indonesia for drug smuggling will be repatriated under a bilateral agreement between the two nations. Lindsay Sandiford, 68, has been on death row in Bali since 2012 after authorities discovered 3.8kg of cocaine valued at $2.5m hidden in her suitcase at the island's airport.
During her trial, Sandiford claimed she was forced to carry the drugs by a gang that threatened her children. She was sentenced to death by firing squad, a ruling upheld by Indonesia's highest court in 2013. Another Briton, Shahab Shahabadi, 35, who has been serving a life sentence since 2014 for his role in an international drug trafficking network, will also be repatriated.
Indonesian Minister Yusril Mahendra signed the repatriation agreement with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday. Mahendra noted that Sandiford is seriously ill and has been examined by a doctor from the British consulate in Bali. The transfer will proceed after both countries complete technical and administrative steps.
Indonesia, under President Prabowo Subianto, has recently repatriated several foreign prisoners, including a Filipina on death row for drugs and five Australians convicted of heroin trafficking. Despite having some of the world's strictest drug laws, Indonesia remains a major smuggling hub, with about 530 people on death row, mostly for drug-related crimes, including nearly 100 foreigners.
