4th March, 2015
The news that convicted Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have been moved from their Bali prison to the island on which they are to be executed has been greeted with dismay in Australia.
The two men were taken out of Bali’s Kerokoban Prison before dawn this morning and flown to Java before being transported by road and ferry to Nusakambangan prison island where they are among 11 people to be executed.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told the ABC he was "revolted" by the thought of their execution and was continuing to press Indonesian authorities for a stay of execution.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she was "utterly dismayed" at the news but added that she would not give up hope and continue to do whatever she can to seek a "change of heart".
The Indonesian President Joko Widodo has reportedly said the executions will go ahead despite a phone call from Mr Abbott last week.
It is unclear what, if any, action Australia would take if the executions go ahead.
The two men were among nine Australians arrested at Denpasar airport in April 2005 for attempting to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin into Australia. In 2006, they were sentenced to execution by firing squad.
Earlier this week it was reported that Chan, who converted to Christianity after his arrest and ran the English language church service in Kerokoban, had been ordained as a Christian minister. Christie Buckingham, a senior pastor with the Bayside Church in Melbourne, told Fairfax Media it was "a sober, sacred and very quiet moment".
Chan has previously said that his Christian faith helped him to cope with his time in jail but also told the ABC: "I trust that this (death by firing squad) isn’t God’s divine plan for me, and he has a better hope and plan for my life."
Sukumaran has studied for a fine arts degree while in prison and has been mentored by Australian artist Ben Quilty.
– DAVID ADAMS
