"We don't know yet if the minister will approve it as theirs is a special case," he added, saying proposed remissions are usually confirmed right before the day of the celebration.

Sentence remissions are being considered for five men convicted of involvement in the 2002 Bali bombing: Abdul Rauf, sentenced to 16 years in prison; Junaidi, a.k.a Amin, sentenced to 15 years; Andi Hidayat, sentenced to 15 years; Andri Oktavia, sentenced to 16 years; and Masykur Abdul Kadir, also sentenced to 15 years.

In addition, four men found guilty of carrying out the 2005 bombings are under consideration: Dwi Widiyarto, sentenced to 8 years; Abdul Aziz, sentenced to 8 years; Anif Solchanudin, sentenced to 15 years; and Mohammad Cholily, sentenced to 18 years in prison.

A two-month and one-month reduction in sentencing, respectively, has been recommended for the two groups.

Inmates commonly receive remissions during national holidays, including during this year's Independence Day (Aug. 17), when 625 inmates in Bali's prisons received remissions, 63 of whom were immediately released. Australian Leigh Schapelle Corby, famously known as the "Ganja Queen" (for her involvement in the marijuana trade), received a three-month reduction in her sentence.

Given the heinous nature of the crimes involved, doubt and uncertainty surround the prospect of sentence reductions for the Bali bombers, particularly as their cases continue to receive global attention.

More than 230 people, mostly foreign tourists, were killed during the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings, when suicide bombers attacked the heavily touristed areas of Kuta and Jimbaran. Both incidents nearly destroyed the island's tourism industry.

Remissions for the convicted bombers were first proposed during the country's Independence Day celebration in August, but the recommendation was not brought to the ministry's attention until early September, Anom said without providing further details.

"Prison wardens are in charge of recommending remissions for inmates, which we follow up on by forwarding the requests to the ministry in Jakarta," Anom added.

"It's up to the minister to grant the remissions. We trust the judgment of our warden and our minister."

Should the ministry approve the proposal, the Bali bombers would not be the only ones to receive a remission. In total, up to 12 inmates, from prisons across the island, could walk free during Idul Fitri, with another 232 receiving a reduction of between 15 and 60 days. All are Indonesian nationals.

According to the Bali office of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, there are currently 1,554 prisoners on the island, 850 of whom are being held at Kerobokan Prison in Denpasar.

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