Australian death-row prisoners Myuran Sukumaran, right and Andrew Chan
Indonesia’s president has rejected any attempts by other countries to intervene in the execution of foreign drug traffickers. The government has announced plans to execute eight people — one Indonesian and seven foreigners from Australia, Brazil, France, Ghana, Nigeria and the Philippines. President Joko Widodo told reporters yesterday that the death penalty is part of the country’s legal system, and insisted that other countries should not interfere. He said he has received phone calls from some foreign leaders asking that the executions be canceled. In January, the government brushed aside appeals from several foreign countries and executed an Indonesian and five foreigners from Malawi, Nigeria, the Netherlands and Vietnam who were convicted of drug trafficking. There are 133 people on death row in Indonesia, including 57 for drug crimes.
Maldives | FM blasts foreign concern over arrest of ex-president
The government of the Maldives has criticized foreign countries and groups that expressed concern over its recent arrest of an ex-president, saying it will not accept advice on governance issues. Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon said yesterday that the arrest of former President Mohamed Nasheed had been conducted lawfully and he would receive a fair trial. The United States, India and the United Nations were among those who expressed concern over Nasheed’s arrest on Sunday for ordering the arrest of a top judge when he was president three years ago. Nasheed has been charged under an anti-terror law and a court has ordered him held in detention until the trial ends.
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