ABC AUSTRALIA, 27/07/2004 17:06:18
Indonesia's justice minister supports execution of Bali bombers
Indonesia's Justice Minister, Yusril Mahendra, says he would be happy to see the
Bali bombers on death row executed, despite the law, under which they were
convicted, being declared unconstitutional.
Our correspondent in Indonesia, Tim Palmer, says there is still significant confusion
over which cases might be affected by the Constitutional Court decision.
Prosecutors are due to request a sentence in a Jakarta court - probably the death
sentence - against another of the Bali bomb ringleaders, Idris, but there is confusion
over whether his trial, under the now invalid anti-terrorism law, can proceed.
But Indonesia's Justice Minister, Yusril Mahendra, insists that previously completed
cases, including those of the condemned Amrozi, Imam Samudra and Mukhlas, can't
be overturned by the Constitutional Court ruling because it can't be applied
retrospectively.
While a number of defence lawyers disagree and say the Bali bombers cases are not
complete and can still be appealed, Yusril Mahendra says he sees no problem with
the Bali bombers on death row being executed now, even if the law that convicted
them has been deemed unconstitutional.
"Yes, they can do it, they can implement it - they can execute," he said.
27/07/2004 17:06:18 | ABC Radio Australia News
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