Jakarta (ANTARA News) - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has provided extra time for the four Indonesian convicts facing execution in the country, so that they can seek forgiveness from the victims families.

Until now, 62 Indonesians were in danger of facing death sentence for the various crimes they had committed in the country. About 23 of them have been able to avoid the death penalty, according to a press release from Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry received here on Friday.

"The Saudi Arabia government gives three months to the convicts' lawyers and representatives from Indonesian government to continue asking for forgiveness from the families of the victims to avoid death penalty for the convicts," the press release stated.

According to Saudi Arabian law, only the family of the victim can give forgiveness to the convict and save them from a death penalty.

The extension has been given ahead of Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa's visit to Saudi Arabia where he will meet with his counterpart, Prince Saud Al-Faisal on May 8. 


(A051/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Ade P Marboen
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