Indonesia's drugs strategy under fire

The Indonesian president's hard stance on the death penalty is being questioned as a national agency admitted prison guards sold drugs to inmates.

Australian death-row prisoners Myuran Sukumaran, right and Andrew Chan, left (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati, File)

Australian death-row prisoners Myuran Sukumaran, right and Andrew Chan, left (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati, File)

Indonesia's strategy in its war against drugs is under attack, with lawmakers airing concerns over the prison drug culture and experts challenging the deterrent effect of the death penalty.

President Joko Widodo has already sent six death row drug offenders to the firing squad this year, and Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will be among the next.

Mr Joko says the death penalty is needed because Indonesia's future is under threat from a "drugs emergency".

His position is based on a study by the National Narcotics Board (BNN) which finds up to 50 Indonesians die from drug-related causes each day.

Under pressure at a parliamentary hearing in Jakarta on Monday, BNN chief Anang Iskandar reportedly admitted prison guards were involved in distributing drugs behind bars.

He told reporters the BNN was aiming to dismantle up to 50 prison drug networks, as well as rehabilitate 100,000 drug addicts this year.

Mr Anang backed the death penalty as a strong deterrent, as long as executions were carried out regularly.

"If we do it in 2015, the next one should not be in 2016 or once a year, this will not create a deterrent effect," he said.

"A deterrent effect is only caused by continuous executions and the time interval between should not be too long either."

Indonesia's Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, an independent research institute, says the evidence does not support the idea that capital punishment is a deterrent.

"It's a myth," institute director Supriyadi W. Eddyono said.

"Many studies have shown it.

"I find the BNN is not consistent either.

"There's the death penalty for some and on the other hand, there are domestic drug dealers who receive remission.

"If they want to make tighter laws for drugs offenders, they should also limit the remission given to drug offenders."

The institute is also preparing a legal challenge to Supreme Court advice to limit the number of judicial reviews, known as PKs, to one per convict.

The courts are now considering an application from Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 33, for a second judicial review.

Their lawyers argue past errors were made in their case and that the Bali Nine ringleaders are reformed after 10 years' jail.

Indonesia's Attorney-General HM Prasetyo says the application does not alter his plans to include the Australians in the next round of executions, on a date to be determined.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has reportedly been advised there is nothing that can be done to save the two Australians from execution.

The message was conveyed to Mr Abbott on Australia Day by Indonesia's ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, News Corp Australia reports.

Two celebrated Melbourne artists, Ben Quilty and Matthew Sleeth, visited Kerobokan prison on Tuesday for a prison art workshop that had been planned some time ago.

Quilty said both Sukumaran and Chan are doing well.

"They are carrying an enormous weight on their shoulders, but they are still hopeful," he told reporters.

Sleeth said it would be a shame to end their lives when they had done so much to rehabilitate prisoners.

"I would like to see the Indonesian authorities celebrate their success in this rehabilitation and in the art room, and keep it going."


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