Australians get death over drugs case

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s Supreme Court has given
three young Australians death sentences for heroin trafficking,
after prosecutors appealed against an earlier cut in their life
jail terms, a court official said on Wednesday.

A fourth Australian man was also given a death sentence
after appealing against his life term, told reporters.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told
parliament in Canberra he had no confirmation of news reports
of the death sentences.

But according to the court official, six of the so-called
“Bali Nine” gang arrested on the resort island last year while
trying to smuggle more than 8.2 kg (18 lb) of heroin into
Australia now face execution.

The court handed down death sentences to Tan Duc Thanh
Nguyen, Si Yi Chen and Matthew Norman, the official said. this
was also confirmed by court documents seen by Reuters.

The three were among five from the group to have their life
sentences cut to 20 years in April after an appeal at the Bali
High Court.

“The Supreme Court has granted appeals by the prosecutors
and retried the cases on its own, resulting in death sentences
for the three,” Ricar said.

He later said that Scott Rush had also had his life
sentence increased to death after losing his appeal.

The Supreme Court upheld the death penalty passed on two of
the ringleaders in the case, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Other appeals were still pending. Executions in Indonesia
are carried out by firing squad.

Ricar said those sentenced to death could file for a
judicial review or seek clemency from President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono.

The new death sentences are likely to spark anger in
Australia, which is a staunch opponent of the death penalty.
Foreign Minister Downer told parliament that if the sentences
had been upgraded to death, his government would appeal for
clemency.

He said he was surprised by Wednesday’s reports, saying the
prosecution in each case had not sought the death penalty.

“Since we heard of these reports the embassy in Jakarta has
been doing everything it can to try to establish whether these
reports are correct or not,” Downer said.

“Let me tell the House I do not know even at this time
whether these reports are correct or whether they are not
correct.”

He said the embassy had been in contact with Indonesia’s
justice minister, attorney general and Supreme Court officials.

“In the event of Australians being sentenced to death, it
is a policy of the Australian government, and has been for many
years, to appeal for clemency.

“If these reports are correct, then we will appeal for
clemency at the appropriate time to president Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono.”