JAKARTA, Indonesia — On Friday, Indonesia finalized an agreement to repatriate a French citizen who has been on death row since 2007 for alleged drug-related offenses. The individual, Serge Atlaoui, has endured years of legal battles and recently made a heartfelt plea to return to his home country due to his declining health.
Atlaoui, who is now 61 and believed to be suffering from cancer, was granted a stay of execution in 2015, narrowly avoiding a death sentence that could have been executed by a firing squad. The arrangement for his repatriation was signed remotely by Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Indonesia’s senior law minister, and Gérald Darmanin, France’s Justice Minister. This significant moment was witnessed by diplomatic delegations present in both Jakarta and Paris. According to Mahendra, this agreement will enable Atlaoui to return to France on February 4.
During a joint press conference where Mahendra spoke, he confirmed that the Indonesian government had decided against carrying out the death penalty and had agreed to Atlaoui’s transfer to France. Mahendra expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the two nations, while France’s ambassador to Indonesia, Fabien Penone, acknowledged the Indonesian government’s readiness to honor Atlaoui’s request.
Atlaoui was apprehended in 2005 for his alleged role in operating a factory that produced MDMA, often referred to as ecstasy, located on the outskirts of Jakarta. His legal representatives assert that he was merely working as a welder in the plant and did not comprehend the nature of the substances being processed there. Born in Metz, France, Atlaoui has consistently claimed his innocence throughout his nearly two-decade incarceration, alleging he believed he was working in an acrylics factory. Despite his protests, he was first sentenced to life imprisonment, with the Supreme Court later imposing the death sentence on appeal in 2007.
His situation has evoked significant interest in France, a nation that opposes capital punishment in all forms. Mahendra stated that French authorities informed him of the maximum penalty for similar crimes in France, which is 30 years in prison. Once Atlaoui is repatriated, the responsibility for his treatment will entirely rest with the French government. Any potential clemency or pardon would also lie within France’s jurisdiction, which Indonesia would respect, according to Mahendra.
Atlaoui’s case occurs amidst a complex backdrop of Indonesia’s strict drug laws. The country executed eight prisoners on death row in May 2015, but Atlaoui was spared due to his pending appeal, which was denied a month later. Just recently, Indonesia repatriated Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina who had faced a similar fate on death row, responding to repeated requests from her home country. Additionally, in December, five Australians who had spent nearly two decades in Indonesian prisons for heroin trafficking were returned to Australia under a government agreement.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Indonesia remains a significant center for drug trafficking, exacerbated by stringent laws that attract international drug syndicates targeting the nation’s youth. Presently, there are approximately 530 individuals on death row in Indonesia, predominantly for drug offenses, which includes nearly 100 foreign nationals. The last executions took place in July 2016, involving both Indonesian citizens and foreigners.
