A British grandmother condemned to death in Indonesia has made a desperate final plea for her life as hopes for a presidential pardon dwindle. Lindsay Sandiford, now 67, was convicted of drug trafficking in Bali over a decade ago and faces execution by firing squad.
The Final Appeal
Speaking from her prison cell in Kerobokan, Sandiford told the Mirror: "I'm not ready to die. I'm still fighting. I'm still hoping." Her voice trembles with emotion as she describes the psychological torture of living under constant threat of execution.
A Decade in Limbo
Sandiford was arrested in May 2012 after cocaine worth an estimated £1.6 million was discovered in her luggage during a flight from Bangkok to Bali. Despite maintaining she was coerced by a criminal gang who threatened her family, the Indonesian court sentenced her to death in January 2013.
"Every day I wake up wondering if this will be my last," she revealed. "The uncertainty is the hardest part. You hear noises at night and wonder if they're coming for you."
Fading Hope for Mercy
Recent developments have dashed her hopes for clemency. Indonesia's Law and Human Rights Ministry in Denpasar confirmed that Sandiford's plea for a presidential pardon has been formally rejected, though the final decision rests with President Joko Widodo.
The British grandmother has exhausted nearly all legal avenues, with her final judicial review rejected by the Supreme Court in 2020. Her family in the UK continues to campaign for her release, though they acknowledge the increasingly grim reality.
Life on Death Row
Sandiford describes her daily existence as "a living nightmare." She spends her days reading, writing letters, and clinging to small comforts. "I try to focus on positive things, but the shadow of execution is always there," she shared.
Her case has drawn international attention, with human rights organizations and British politicians repeatedly appealing to Indonesian authorities for mercy on humanitarian grounds, given her age and claims of coercion.
The Human Cost
Sandiford's story highlights the harsh penalties faced by foreign nationals in Indonesia's strict anti-drug regime. Several other foreigners have been executed in recent years, despite international appeals.
As she awaits her fate, the British grandmother remains trapped in legal limbo, representing one of the most prolonged death row cases involving a UK citizen abroad. Her final words to the Mirror echo the desperation of her situation: "I just want to come home."
