Indonesia on Thursday rejected mounting international pressure to halt the looming execution of 14 drug convicts as speculation mounted they could face the firing squad in a matter of hours.
The group, including foreigners from Nigeria, Pakistan, India and Zimbabwe as well as Indonesians, have been placed in isolation on a prison island where Jakarta carries out executions.
Authorities stepped up preparations, with ambulances transporting coffins crossing over to Nusakambangan island and cars heading for the penal colony in the evening carrying convicts' relatives, police and religious counsellors.
Family members say they have been told the convicts will be executed Thursday night, according to a lawyer and diplomat, a day earlier than had been expected.
President Joko Widodo believes Indonesia faces an emergency due to rising drugs consumption and has dramatically escalated the use of capital punishment, putting to death 14 drug convicts, mostly foreigners, since he took power in 2014.
Indonesia last carried out executions in April 2015 when it put to death eight drug convicts, including two Australians, sparking international outrage.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has called on Indonesia to end the "unjust" use of the death penalty, while the European Union urged Jakarta to stop the "cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent".
But Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir defended the upcoming executions as "pure law enforcement", adding "we target the drug traffickers and not users".
There have been concerns about legal irregularities in the cases of some facing imminent execution, with Amnesty International citing "systematic flaws" in several trials and noting a handful of clemency appeals were still pending.
These included Pakistani Zulfiqar Ali, whom rights groups say was beaten into confessing to the crime of heroin possession, leading to his 2005 death sentence.
Rights group the Justice Project Pakistan say that the 52-year-old father of six was "tortured relentlessly" during a three-day interrogation in a house by police, after which he required surgery.
An internal investigation by the Indonesian government also found numerous problems with his case.
- Forced confessions -
Indonesian woman Merri Utami, who was caught with heroin in her bag as she came through Jakarta airport, claims she was duped into becoming a drug mule, and that police forced her into confessing with beatings and sexual harassment.
Rights groups have mounted a campaign to save her, and 10 women's rights activists were detained by police Thursday in Cilacap -- the port city closest to the prison island -- as they rallied in support of her.
Family members of Michael Titus Igweh, a Nigerian prisoner, also protested his looming execution, saying his case was still under review.
"I don't think this is fair. They should fulfil his legal rights first," Igweh's sister-in-law Nila, who gave just one name, told reporters in the port city.
Pakistan and India have been making last-ditch diplomatic efforts to save their convicts, with Islamabad this week summoning the Indonesian ambassador to convey their concerns.
Support for the death penalty in Indonesia is generally high but there has been some public opposition.
Dozens of protesters held a vigil late Thursday in front of the presidential palace in Jakarta, arranging candles in the shape of a noose and laying posters emblazoned with a bloody hand and the words "stop the executions" on the ground.
Diplomats and lawyers were angered after authorities notified family members the executions would take place Thursday, saying they believed they could only be held Friday after the end of a legally required, 72-hour notice period.
Authorities have not released a detailed list of the convicts who will face the firing squad but the Jakarta-based Community Legal Aid Institute said the group consists of four Indonesians, six Nigerians and one each from Pakistan, India, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Indonesia had an unofficial moratorium on the death penalty between 2008 and 2012 but resumed executions in 2013 under Widodo's predecessor.
AFP
Thu Jul 28 2016
![Indonesia rejects international pleas to halt executions Indonesia rejects international pleas to halt executions](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2016-07/61469717334_ZulfiqarAliGeneric.jpg)
Relatives and area residents carry photographs of Pakistani national Zulfiqar Ali, who was sentenced to death in 2005 for heroin possession in Indonesia, during a protest in Lahore on July 28, 2016. - ARIF ALI / AFP
![Kerajaan Persekutuan, negeri perlu tingkat kepantasan beri kelulusan untuk tarik pelabur - PM Anwar Kerajaan Persekutuan, negeri perlu tingkat kepantasan beri kelulusan untuk tarik pelabur - PM Anwar](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723712785_AnwarIbrahim.jpg)
Kerajaan Persekutuan, negeri perlu tingkat kepantasan beri kelulusan untuk tarik pelabur - PM Anwar
Kerajaan Persekutuan, negeri perlu meningkatkan kepantasan dalam memberi kelulusanbagi menjadikan Malaysia tumpuan pelabur.
![Pemandu maut lori terbalik, kesesakan 2 jam di Lebuhraya PLUS Ipoh-Kuala Kangsar Pemandu maut lori terbalik, kesesakan 2 jam di Lebuhraya PLUS Ipoh-Kuala Kangsar](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723712690_kemalangantrelerP.jpg)
Pemandu maut lori terbalik, kesesakan 2 jam di Lebuhraya PLUS Ipoh-Kuala Kangsar
Seorang pemandu lori maut manakala kelindan cedera selepas kenderaan yang mereka naiki terbabas lalu terbalik di Kilometer 257 Lebuhraya PLUS arah utara, dekat sini, petang ini.
RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat pendengar, data lebih komprehensif
RADIO 360 Malaysia merentasi 11 stesen radio Astro yang boleh diakses di aplikasi SYOK termasuk Era, Sinar, Gegar, Hitz, Mix, My dan Raaga.
![Tindakan Faisal Halim undang rasa sebak penyokong bola sepak Tindakan Faisal Halim undang rasa sebak penyokong bola sepak](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723706908_TBFaisalHalim.jpg)
Tindakan Faisal Halim undang rasa sebak penyokong bola sepak
Tindakan bintang Selangor FC, Faisal Halim yang bertemu pemain Sabah FC ketika perlawanan Liga Super minggu ke-9 mengundang rasa sebak.
![KPDN fokus pengantarabangsaan produk tempatan ke empat negara - Armizan KPDN fokus pengantarabangsaan produk tempatan ke empat negara - Armizan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723712231_LotusKPDNKBBM.jpg)
KPDN fokus pengantarabangsaan produk tempatan ke empat negara - Armizan
KPDN menyasarkan penembusan produk buatan Malaysia di pasaran antarabangsa dengan kerjasama beberapa rangkaian pasar raya besar luar negara.
Ekonomi Gig: Persediaan awal belia ke arah pekerjaan stabil
Menurut Pensyarah, Asia Pacific University (Apu), Dr Nor Azrul Mohd Zin, platform ini memberi peluang kepada belia untuk menimba ilmu, mempelajari pelbagai kemahiran dan memperoleh pendapatan sementara menunggu peluang pekerjaan yang lebih stabil.
URA: Akta Pembangunan Semula Bandar ganggu hak pemilik rumah - Pakar
Kerajaan tidak sewajarnya meneruskan penggubalan Akta Pembangunan Semula (Urban Development Act, URA) yang menghilangkan hak pemilik rumah.
Kolaborasi MAPIM, ZUS mahu wujudkan jenama susah senang Malaysia
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) MAPIM Malaysia, Ahmad Sani Abdul Alim Araby berkata kolaborasi MAPIM dan ZUS Coffee merupakan kolaborasi yang unik antara syarikat kopi buatan Malaysia itu untuk menjadi jenama susah senang Malaysia.
Selain daripada memberi tumpuan kepada Gaza, perbincangan MAPIM dan ZUS juga melihat kepada peluang memberi perkhidmatan dan manfaat dalam negara seperti mangsa banjir, asnaf dan mereka yang memerlukan bantuan.
#AWANInews
Selain daripada memberi tumpuan kepada Gaza, perbincangan MAPIM dan ZUS juga melihat kepada peluang memberi perkhidmatan dan manfaat dalam negara seperti mangsa banjir, asnaf dan mereka yang memerlukan bantuan.
#AWANInews
[TERKINI] Pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit suspek kes baling bom petrol
Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak amatur yang ditahan kerana membawa disyaki kerambit merupakan suspek kes membaling bom petrol di sebuah pusat hiburan di ibu kota, pada Mei lalu.
Hanya 16,000 daripada 300,000 pekebun memohon setakat ini
Hanya 16,000 daripada 300,000 pekebun kecil memohon bantuan Budi Agri-Komoditi setakat ini, yang membolehkan mereka menerima insentif bulanan sebanyak RM200.
Menteri Perladangan Dan Komoditi, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani berkata, antara masalah yang dikenal pasti adalah pekebun kecil tidak mendapat maklumat berhubung bantuan itu, tidak tahu cara mendaftar, atau tiada kemudahan seperti capaian internet dan komputer.
Menteri Perladangan Dan Komoditi, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani berkata, antara masalah yang dikenal pasti adalah pekebun kecil tidak mendapat maklumat berhubung bantuan itu, tidak tahu cara mendaftar, atau tiada kemudahan seperti capaian internet dan komputer.
![Do postponements cause delays in the Courts? Do postponements cause delays in the Courts?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2019-02/61550614637_IstanaKehakiman.jpg)
Do postponements cause delays in the Courts?
Cases may often be postponed or otherwise delayed for various reasons. The truth of the matter is that these delays may be necessary due to the Rule of law and due process.
![Father of kidnapped boy in Kajang buys ad to clear taxi driver's name Father of kidnapped boy in Kajang buys ad to clear taxi driver's name](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-10/41445749313_hanizan.jpg)
Father of kidnapped boy in Kajang buys ad to clear taxi driver's name
Lee Kim Wen said he and his family are grateful for the help and confident that the taxi driver was not involved in the kidnapping.