An Indonesian court on Monday dismissed an appeal by two Australian drug smugglers facing imminent execution, and the country's legal chief said the pair have now exhausted all legal attempts to avoid the firing squad.
Following the ruling lawyers for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran vowed to take the case to the Constitutional Court - but Indonesia's attorney-general accused the legal team of "playing with justice" and said the move would not delay the executions.
In its ruling on Monday, the State Administrative Court in Jakarta upheld a decision that it does not have the authority to hear a challenge to President Joko Widodo's rejection of the Australians' pleas for clemency.
Chan and Sukumaran, the ringleaders of the so-called "Bali Nine" drug trafficking gang, were sentenced to death in 2006 for trying to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia.
Widodo recently rejected their mercy pleas, typically the final chance to avoid execution. They are expected to be executed soon along with other drug convicts, including foreigners from France, Brazil, the Philippines, Nigeria and Ghana.
Jakarta has said it will wait for all legal appeals to be resolved before putting the group to death at the same time. Some other convicts have lodged Supreme Court appeals, which could take weeks to resolve.
The Australians' legal team has mounted several attempts to halt the executions. In the latest, they called for the State Administrative Court to hear an appeal against Widodo's clemency rejection, saying that he failed to properly assess their rehabilitation or give reasons for his decision.
The court refused to accept the application in February, and the Australians' lawyers appealed that decision. At a hearing on Monday presiding judge Ujang Abdullah upheld the original decision that the court does not have jurisdiction to rule on the matter.
Playing with justice
After the decision, a lawyer for the Australians, Leonard Aritonang, told reporters they respected the ruling but added: "This is not over yet." He said lawyers would file an application to the Constitutional Court to review the laws relating to presidential clemency.
"We are still hopeful ... they are part of a successful rehabilitation programme," he said, referring to the claim from the men's supporters that they have been successfully rehabilitated during years in prison.
"It's a shame that they have to die in the end. What encourages us to keep going through all the options is that, although they have been convicted, in this country every person has the right to life and to defend his life."
However, authorities have repeatedly insisted that a death row convict's final chance to avoid the firing squad is through presidential clemency and that further appeals are futile.
Asked about the planned challenge to the Constitutional Court, Attorney-General Muhammad Prasetyo said there would be no more delays to the executions. "The legal process is already done," he said. "This proves that they are simply trying to buy time. We can say they are playing with justice."
International outcry
Jakarta originally planned to carry out the executions in February, but following an international outcry agreed to let legal appeals run their course.
A Filipina among the group recently lost an appeal to the Supreme Court, while a Frenchman and Ghanaian last week lodged appeals with the court.
Australia, Indonesia's neighbour and traditionally a key ally, has mounted a sustained diplomatic campaign to try to stop its citizens being put to death, while France and Brazil have also stepped up diplomatic pressure on Jakarta.
But Widodo, who has taken a hard line against drugs offenders, has not been swayed. He has vowed there will no mercy for traffickers, saying Indonesia is facing an "emergency" due to rising narcotics use.
Jakarta in January put to death six drugs offenders including five foreigners, sparking a diplomatic storm as Brazil and the Netherlands - whose citizens were among those executed - recalled their ambassadors.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in February refused to accept the credentials of the new Indonesian ambassador. A second Brazilian, Rodrigo Gularte - whose family say he is mentally ill - is scheduled to be put to death in the next batch of drugs offenders.
Indonesia resumed executions in 2013 after a five-year hiatus. It did not put anyone to death in 2014.
AFP
Mon Apr 06 2015
![Indonesian court rejects death row Australians' appeal Indonesian court rejects death row Australians' appeal](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-03/81425647399_295x200.jpg)
Chan (right) and Sukumaran, the ringleaders of the so-called "Bali Nine" drug trafficking gang, were sentenced to death in 2006 for trying to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia.
![Bekas pemimpin Bangladesh, Hasina didakwa lakukan genosid Bekas pemimpin Bangladesh, Hasina didakwa lakukan genosid](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2016-07/71467442821_SheikhHasina.jpg)
Bekas pemimpin Bangladesh, Hasina didakwa lakukan genosid
Sheikh Hasina didakwa melakukan "genosid dan jenayah terhadap kemanusiaan" semasa beberapa minggu protes ganas yang mengakibatkan ratusan orang terbunuh.
![Fadillah tiba di Peru untuk hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024 Fadillah tiba di Peru untuk hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723674456_FadillahYusof.jpg)
Fadillah tiba di Peru untuk hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Fadillah akan mengetengahkan pendirian Malaysia dalam melaksanakan usaha peralihan tenaga negara.
![Lawatan PM Anwar ke India dijangka kukuhkan hubungan ekonomi - Ramanan Lawatan PM Anwar ke India dijangka kukuhkan hubungan ekonomi - Ramanan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721630406_TBAnwarIbrahim.jpg)
Lawatan PM Anwar ke India dijangka kukuhkan hubungan ekonomi - Ramanan
Perdana Menteri Anwar dijadualkan membuat lawatan rasmi pertama ke India dari 19 hingga 20 Ogos.
![PRK Nenggiri: Generasi muda tagih peluang pekerjaan PRK Nenggiri: Generasi muda tagih peluang pekerjaan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723287338_Nenggiri.jpg)
PRK Nenggiri: Generasi muda tagih peluang pekerjaan
Tanpa kehadiran tapak perindustrian, rata-rata penduduk di sini hanya bergantung harap kepada pekerjaan tradisional.
![Dua pelajar cemerlang Malaysia terpilih sertai CSSP di Geneva Dua pelajar cemerlang Malaysia terpilih sertai CSSP di Geneva](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723670962_ShimZiJunNurulN.jpg)
Dua pelajar cemerlang Malaysia terpilih sertai CSSP di Geneva
Dua pelajar cemerlang Malaysia dipilih menyertai Program Pelajar Musim Panas CERN (CSSP) 2024 di Geneva, Switzerland.
![Hari Kebangsaan: Tidak berkira hias rumah, kereta sejak 24 tahun lepas Hari Kebangsaan: Tidak berkira hias rumah, kereta sejak 24 tahun lepas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723628328_TBKandapan.jpg)
Hari Kebangsaan: Tidak berkira hias rumah, kereta sejak 24 tahun lepas
Kandapan juga cukup terkenal dengan keretanya yang turut dihiasi Jalur Gemilang, bendera Johor dan semua negeri serta pelbagai pelekat imej bertemakan kemerdekaan termasuk wajah pemimpin negara.
![Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/81613025046_TBPelantarMinyak.jpg)
Malaysia kekal destinasi utama bagi pelaburan PTTEP - BMI
Malaysia akan kekal sebagai destinasi utama bagi pelaburan syarikat minyak nasional Thailand, PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP), dalam jangka masa pendek dan panjang.
Jualan penyaman udara naik mendadak di negara Balkan
Menetap di negara sejuk, mereka tidak pernah terfikir memasang penyaman udara di dalam rumah memandangkan musim panas bukanlah setiap hari. Namun, cuaca panas melampau membuatkan mereka bertukar fikiran.
![Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-01/61706688348_wismaputra.jpg)
Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa
Kerajaan Malaysia mengecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan Masjid Al-Aqsa oleh ekstremis Zionis Israel pada 13 Ogos.
![Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723653359_TBMOKHTAR.jpg)
Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham
Ayah kepada penyanyi dan Youtubers Muhammad Nidza Afham Mokhtar reda dengan pemergian anak lelakinya walaupun itu bukan pengakhiran yang beliau harapkan.
![Australia tawar bayar kos penjara seumur hidup bagi dua banduannya di Indonesia Australia tawar bayar kos penjara seumur hidup bagi dua banduannya di Indonesia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-07/61405836645_295x200.jpg)
Australia tawar bayar kos penjara seumur hidup bagi dua banduannya di Indonesia
Australia membuat tawaran menanggung kos penjara seumur hidup dua banduan warganegaranya yang dikenakan hukuman mati di Indonesia.
![Penyeludup dadah Australia dipindahkan untuk jalani hukuman mati Penyeludup dadah Australia dipindahkan untuk jalani hukuman mati](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2015-03/81425438951_295x200.jpg)
Penyeludup dadah Australia dipindahkan untuk jalani hukuman mati
Dua penyeludup dadah warga Australia di Indonesia dibawa ke sebuah pulau bagi menjalani hukuman mati.