JAKARTA — There were still many things to discuss on repatriating the five remaining members of the "Bali Nine" drug ring to Australia and hopefully an understanding can be reached soon, an Indonesian minister has said.
The announcement was made after Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra met Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke in Jakarta on Tuesday (Dec 3).
"Hopefully we could find an understanding," Yusril said, adding that he hoped to resolve the matter in December.
Indonesia has no regulations regarding the transfer of prisoners, but the deal was initiated by President Prabowo Subianto's good intentions, Yusril added.
He said Indonesia would respect any decision taken by the country of origin of the prisoners, including an amnesty, adding that this would be a transfer of prisoners and not an exchange.
In November, Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas said Indonesia had agreed in principle to transfer the five prisoners, who are currently serving life sentences, after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised the issue with Prabowo.
Supratman had said Jakarta was seeking the repatriation of Indonesian prisoners held in Australia as part of the deal.
The Bali Nine were arrested in 2005 as they attempted to smuggle heroin out of the Indonesian resort island.
Two of the group's ringleaders, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed in 2015, and Australia recalled its ambassador in protest.
One of the members was released from prison in 2018 and another died of cancer the same year.
Indonesia in November agreed to repatriate Mary Jane Veloso, a Philippine woman on death row for drug trafficking, to serve the rest of her sentence in her home country.
France has also asked for the repatriation of a prisoner from Indonesia, Supratman said in November.
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