He remarked that the legal process was not under the authority of the president, and so, he decided to not intervene in the process.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The execution of 11 drug convicts on death row was only a matter of time, pending conclusion of a current legal process, President Joko Widodo stated here on Monday.

"When it will be done is no longer a question. It is only awaiting the conclusion of all procedures and the legal process, which I will not interfere in. It is only a matter of time," he stated during an interview with ANTARA at the State Palace.

He noted that the execution had been postponed due to a pending legal process involving the convicts, which is under the jurisdiction and authority of the Attorney Generals Office.

He remarked that the legal process was not under the authority of the president, and so, he decided to not intervene in the process.

The jurisdiction and authority of the president is only clemency, and all their requests for clemency have been rejected, he pointed out.

"I have said on several occasions that we are combating narcotic drugs," he emphasized.

President Joko Widodo denied claims that the postponement took place due to political considerations including the possible impact of it on Indonesian citizens currently facing execution abroad.

"There is no such thing. Our legal sovereignty and theirs must be respected," he affirmed.

President Widodo said he was not afraid to carry out the execution despite pressures from various quarters including the UN, NGOs, and Amnesty International.

Indonesia must be firm in enforcing its law on narcotic drugs, he added.

He stated that 50 people died daily in Indonesia due to narcotic drugs, thereby adding up to the total of 18 thousand deaths every year.

The fact shows that Indonesia is in a state of emergency, he pointed out.

The Attorney Generals Office had carried the execution of six drug convicts on January 18, 2015, and plans to carry out 11 more, including eight convicted in drug crimes.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015