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eb. 28, p3

President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo has contradicted Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott'€™s claim that the President gave him an indication that he might soften his stance on the planned executions of 11 prisoners, including two Australian drug smugglers.

In an interview with daily business newspaper Kontan on Friday, the President reiterated that he would not commute the sentences imposed on drug traffickers as the country was in a state of emergency caused by drug abuse.

Your comments:

It'€™s just sad how heroin ruins everything it touches, yet we have not addressed this issue in a fashion that would save lives. In this rift, heroin will cause breakdowns in so many ways.

Whether we agree on the fate of these two, I hope we can agree heroin is the devil'€™s work and we as a world must find a better solution to the problems heroin brings or we shall be sentenced to repeat the pain and suffering over and over and over. If you look closely, everyone suffers, it is a loss.

Taman S

Jokowi just wants to show his people that he is serious about drug crimes and the only way to please them is by killing the convicts. If natives are killed in large numbers there will be riots in the streets. This is just another political gain for him.

Indi Anoz

Saudi executed many people last year, including women. Why does this not get the same level of publicity? It is difficult to accept that a civilized society will declare '€œno prisoner deserves compassion and mercy, no matter how much they have rehabilitated themselves'€.

If anyone deserves that mercy, who more than these two Australian prisoners who are a shining example of rehabilitation, who reflect the success that can be achieved by the Indonesian prison system and are contributing so much to the lives of others.

Having completely reformed them, what a terrible message it would be send to the prison community, the Indonesian community and the wider world, if Indonesia'€™s next step is to execute them.

Jay Rey Me

I started off disagreeing with the death penalty for people that had done nothing wrong to Indonesia. These people have rehabilitated themselves a great deal, despite being in jail.  They could be released at some time.  Killing them is evil.  They committed a crime against Australia, not Indonesia.

Diplomatically, the President can only sign treaties, appoint ambassadors, accept ambassadors from other countries, rehabilitate prisoners and appoint Judicial Committee members with the DPR'€™s agreement. The President has the power to grant pardons, but must consider the advice of the Supreme Court. The president also has the final say over chief justice candidates.

Acro Polous

The convicts appear to have changed, but I cannot help being skeptical. Really, they are the only ones that know that. I think the mentality of someone would probably change when they are faced with the possibility of living the rest of their lives behind bars or the death penalty. The maximum one could expect in an Australian prison is 25 years and of course there is no death penalty, so it is difficult to compare.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, '€œThe President absolutely understands our position, absolutely understands our position and I think he is carefully considering Indonesia'€™s position,'€ he told reporters at the Old Parliament House in Canberra. Abbott said he did not want to '€œraise hopes that might turn out to be dashed'€ and described the President as a '€œfriend'€.

Kales

Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo takes advice from incompetent advisers. The latter are provided with fake statistics. Indonesia is playing a sinister farce that sheds light on the level of nonsense this country is filled with.

Jan Karl