"The process will be carried out immediately. It is scheduled on February 4," Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra stated in a press conference in Jakarta.
The practical arrangement for Serge Atlaoui's transfer was signed by Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections and the French Minister of Justice.
French Ambassador Fabien Penone personally attended the signing ceremony at the Coordinating Ministry's office in South Jakarta to witness the event.
Mahendra elaborated that based on this practical arrangement, the French government agreed to acknowledge Indonesia's sovereignty in imposing death sentences on its citizens, thereby recognizing Atlaoui's death sentence awarded by the Indonesian court as valid.
Following his transfer, France will assume responsibility for Atlaoui's punishment. He remarked that the Indonesian government would respect France's decision, including a change in the verdict, in the future.
According to Mahendra, French law stipulates that the maximum sentence for Atlaoui's crime could be 30 years in prison, contrasting with Indonesia's death penalty.
The practical arrangement also includes a principle of reciprocity concerning the transfer of prisoners between the two countries. This means that the French government must consider transferring Indonesian prisoners back to Indonesia from its facilities.
"We still have access to information on treatment given to prisoners transferred to their country," the minister revealed.
The Indonesian government will remain accountable for Atlaoui until he boards the plane for his transfer to France on February 4.
"Once he gets on a plane, he becomes the responsibility of the French government," Mahendra remarked.
Atlaoui has served a prison sentence of around 20 years in Indonesia. He is a death row convict in the case of an ecstasy factory in Cikande, Banten Province, in 2005. His previous requests for clemency from the Indonesian government have been denied.
His execution in 2015 was suspended, and he was recently temporarily transferred from Nusakambangan prison to Salemba prison due to his illness.
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Translator: Fath Putra, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Primayanti
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