In a significant diplomatic move, Indonesia has agreed to send two convicted Dutch drug traffickers back to the Netherlands to serve their sentences, including one inmate who was facing execution.
Agreement Signed Following Royal Request
The prisoner transfer deal was formally signed by officials in both Jakarta and Amsterdam on Tuesday, 3 December 2025. Indonesia's senior law minister, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, stated the agreement followed a request from the Dutch King and the Netherlands' foreign ministry for the men's release, citing their poor health. The request was approved by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Minister Mahendra, who signed the pact at a ceremony in Jakarta, said he expects the two men to be flown back to the Netherlands on 8 December. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel signed the document at a separate event in Amsterdam, with delegations from both nations in attendance.
Profiles of the Convicted Men
The first prisoner, Siegfried Mets, 74, is on death row. He was convicted for his role in a plot to smuggle 600,000 ecstasy pills from the Netherlands to Indonesia in February 2008. Mets has been detained in a Jakarta prison for 17 years.
The second man is Ali Tokman, 65. He was arrested at Surabaya airport in December 2014 after customs officials discovered just over 6 kilograms of brown MDMA, a powerful psychoactive drug. Tokman has served 11 years of a life sentence.
Humanitarian Grounds and Bilateral Cooperation
The Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Marc Gerritsen, explained that the request was made on humanitarian grounds. He expressed profound gratitude that Indonesia is allowing the two detainees to be closer to their families. Gerritsen added that the agreed transfer highlights the strong cooperation between the two countries in justice and legal matters.
This is not an isolated case under President Prabowo's administration. Indonesia has repatriated several foreign prisoners under similar bilateral agreements, including:
- A Filipina facing the death penalty for drugs.
- Five Australians convicted of heroin trafficking.
- Two British nationals sentenced to death and life imprisonment for drug smuggling.
Despite having some of the world's strictest narcotics laws, Indonesia remains a major hub for international drug syndicates, which often target its young population. Official data from last month shows that about 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug crimes, with nearly 100 of them being foreigners. The country's last executions, of one citizen and three foreigners, were carried out in July 2016.
