Free and active diplomacy will continue to be dedicated to national interest, and will continue to protect Indonesians abroad."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government has saved at least 190 Indonesians from death sentence abroad in the past three years.
"Free and active diplomacy will continue to be dedicated to national interest, and will continue to protect Indonesians abroad," the outgoing president said in his state of the nation address at a plenary session of the House of Representatives said here on Friday.
He said protection for Indonesians especially migrant workers has been provided not only with a team of lawyers but also through high level diplomacy.
"For several times I have sent letters to a number of heads of state and governments asking for the acquittal or leniency or delay in the execution of death penalty of Indonesians abroad," he said.
He said migrant workers are important part of Indonesian diaspora and protection of Indonesian migrant workers is a priority in Indonesian diplomacy.
In 2013, no less than 40,000 Indonesian migrant workers were brought back to the country to save them from a situation threatening their safety.
The threat to the migrant workers abroad was not only related to their working condition but also political instability and natural disasters, the president said.
(Uu.H-ASG/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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