Andrew Chan of Bali Nine drug trafficking ring has clemency appeal rejected

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/22/andrew-chan-bali-nine-clemency-appeal-rejected

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Andrew Chan, a member of the so-called Bali Nine drug trafficking ring who is facing execution in Indonesia, has had his plea for presidential clemency rejected.

A letter received by the Denpasar district court on Thursday confirmed the rejection of the appeal. This means that Chan, a 31-year-old Australian, has lost one of the final avenues to avoid his death sentence for drug trafficking.

Chan’s hopes to avoid execution by firing squad were extinguished by Indonesian president Joko Widodo, who has vowed to take a hard line against people accused of drug crimes. Six people were executed by firing squad on Sunday.

Widodo has set a target of executing 20 of Indonesia’s 64 convicted drug traffickers by the end of the year, with the next round of executions taking place later this month or in February.

Earlier this month, fellow Australian and Bali Nine member Myuran Sukumaran, 33, was also turned down for a presidential pardon. Widodo has said that both men should be executed together.

The duo lodged their clemency appeals in 2012 but previous Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono left the decision to be made by his successor, Widodo.

While the presidential pardon was considered to be the men’s last chance, it is understood the legal team may be introducing evidence of rehabilitation, reform and good character to support a claim for a PK, a type of appeal in Indonesia where a case can be reviewed if there is new evidence.

Matthew Goldberg, co-founder of a mercy campaign for the Bali Nine, said: “There are mechanisms for a review, which the legal team is currently contemplating. They will pursue every avenue, Myuran and Andrew’s situation is precarious, but not hopeless.”

Chan and Sukumaran, who are both from Sydney, were found to be the ringleaders of a plot to traffic more than 8kg of heroin to Australia in April 2005. Both were arrested in Indonesia and sentenced to death by firing squad in 2006.

One of Chan’s high profile supporters is Dougie Mandagi, lead singer of the Temper Trap, who has been posting supportive messages on the band’s Facebook page and website this week. Mandagi has also visited Chan in jail. Chan is a keen rugby league fan and has been visited over the years by members of Sydney’s rugby league community.