MELBOURNE, Australia — In a significant development, five Australians who had been incarcerated in Indonesia for nearly two decades for heroin trafficking returned to their home country on Sunday, facilitated by an agreement between the Australian and Indonesian governments, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Negotiations for the return of Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj had been in progress for several weeks. Their arrival back in Australia was kept under wraps, leading to earlier speculation regarding the possibility of them serving their sentences in Australian prisons. However, during a statement released on Sunday, Albanese clarified that the men returned as free individuals.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for his role in approving the men’s return. “Australia respects Indonesia’s sovereignty and legal processes, and we appreciate Indonesia’s compassionate consideration of this matter,” Albanese remarked.
He assured the Australian public that the repatriation of the men did not involve any reciprocal prisoner exchange or similar diplomatic negotiations. The Prime Minister stressed that this was solely an act of compassion from President Prabowo.
The five men were part of a group known as the Bali Nine, comprising nine Australian drug smugglers arrested on the tourist island of Bali in 2005 while attempting to smuggle 8.3 kilograms of heroin to Australia. Two prominent figures in the group, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, faced execution by firing squad in 2015, which led to a diplomatic scandal between Indonesia and Australia. Another member, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, passed away from cancer while incarcerated in 2018, and Renae Lawrence, the only female member, was released and returned to Australia in the same year.
On the day of the men’s return, Indonesian Senior Law Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra confirmed that they flew back on Jetstar, an Australian airline, from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport to Darwin, Australia, away from media scrutiny.
Mahendra explained that the repatriation was made possible following a “Practical Arrangement” signed in a virtual meeting on December 12 by himself and Australian Minister of Home Affairs Tony Burke. He noted that although the men were not pardoned by the Indonesian president and were classified as “prisoners” during their transfer, they became the responsibility of the Australian government upon their return.
According to local reports, the Australian government has committed to providing the five men with temporary accommodation, medical care, and any additional support they may need. Albanese stated that they would have the chance to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration into society in Australia.
The families of the five expressed their relief and happiness upon their return in a statement to local media, expressing hope for their gradual reintegration into society. “The welfare of the men is a priority; they will need time and support, and we hope and trust our media and community will make allowances for this,” their families remarked.
