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FRANCE DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO SAVE SERGE FROM EXECUTION
June 23, 2015: French President Francois Hollande said his country was doing “everything” it can to save one of its citizens accused of drug offences in Indonesia. The Frenchman was sentenced to death by firing squad after he lost an appeal yesterday.
Serge Atlaoui, 51, was among a few other men scheduled to be executed two months ago but was given extra time after France stepped in, which also earned him an appeal with Indonesian authorities.
Yesterday, the State Administrative Court in Jakarta dismissed Atlaoui’s appeal, in which his lawyers said the president ignored his pleas. The country has executed many others in the past and has ignored what other presidents have said about their citizens being executed.
The court did not change the decision made in April because it did not have the jurisdiction to hear the challenge to the clemency plea, which is usually the last chance a convict has to save himself from death. “It will be up to the lawyers to decide what other avenues to pursue” said the French head of state to the press after a European summit in Brussels late Monday, adding “France, without going into the legal debate, is doing everything to keep Serge Atlaoui alive.”
Two months ago, authorities carried out the executions of a Brazilian, two Australians, four Nigerians and an Indonesian. Australia and Brazil are still upset about the executions and have criticized them. But President Joko Widodo is not backing down, he insists people caught trafficking must be severely punished, because the country is facing a crisis due to the increasing drug use. (Sources: gazettereview.com, 23/06/2015)
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