Death for Aussies

last updated 8 January 2015

Bali, Indonesia

An Indonesian court this week sentenced two Australian drug runners to death by firing squad. The two were the ringleaders of the “Bali Nine,” a group of nine Australians caught last year trying to smuggle 18 pounds of heroin into Australia from the Indonesian island of Bali. Australia does not have a death penalty, and the Australian government said it would appeal to Indonesia for clemency for Andrew Chan, 22, and Myuran Sukumaran, 24. “Can I just say to every young Australian, please take notice of this,” Australian Prime Minister John Howard said. “I even beg them not to take the terrible risks that these young people have done.” Of the other defendants, four received life in prison, while three have not yet been sentenced.