A British woman facing execution in Indonesia for drug smuggling will be repatriated to the UK under an agreement between the two nations. Lindsay Sandiford, 68, has been on death row in Bali since 2012 after authorities found 3.8kg of cocaine hidden in her suitcase at the airport.
Sandiford was sentenced to death by firing squad, a ruling upheld by Indonesia's highest court in 2013. During her trial, she claimed she was forced to carry the drugs by a gang that threatened her children. Another British prisoner, Shahab Shahabadi, 35, who is serving a life sentence for trafficking 30kg of methamphetamine, will also be repatriated.
Indonesian Minister Yusril Mahendra said Sandiford is seriously ill and has been examined by a doctor from the British consulate. On Tuesday, Mahendra signed a repatriation agreement with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. The transfer will proceed after both countries complete technical and administrative steps.
Indonesia, under President Prabowo Subianto, has recently repatriated several foreign prisoners, including a Filipina on death row and five Australians convicted of heroin trafficking. The country has some of the strictest drug laws globally and is a major smuggling hub, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
About 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mostly for drug crimes, including nearly 100 foreigners. The last executions were carried out in July 2016.
