Bali Nine Prisoners: Transfer to Australia Could Happen Before Christmas, Says Yusril

Yusril also disclosed that he had submitted a draft agreement for the prisoner transfer to the Australian government. This draft outlines the necessary legal framework for transferring the Bali Nine prisoners between the two countries. He explained that Australia needs time to review the draft and that the transfer’s timing depends on reaching a mutual agreement on the terms.

Once the Australian government has reviewed the draft and provided a response, any necessary adjustments to the agreement will be discussed. Yusril stated that if both sides agree, the transfer process can proceed promptly, but this will only happen once the two governments finalize the details.

The Bali Nine refers to the nine Australian nationals arrested in 2005 for attempting to smuggle 8.2 kilograms of heroin out of Indonesia. Two of them, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed in 2015, while Renae Lawrence, who received a 20-year sentence, was released in 2018 after receiving multiple sentence reductions. Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen died in prison in 2018 while serving his life sentence.

Currently, five members of the Bali Nine are still incarcerated in Indonesia, serving life sentences: Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, and Martin Stephens. These individuals are the subject of the ongoing discussions between the Indonesian and Australian governments regarding their potential transfer.

He assured that the government of Indonesia is proceeding cautiously and will not rush the process. Both countries are seeking to ensure that the transfer is conducted in a manner that respects legal protocols and bilateral agreements, with both sides working toward a fair resolution.(Uki Ruknuddin)