A British woman on death row in Indonesia, Lindsay Sandiford, has left the country after a landmark repatriation agreement between Jakarta and London.
Lindsay Sandiford’s Return to the UK
According to Indonesian officials, a plane carrying Lindsay Sandiford and another British prisoner departed Bali early Friday morning. The 69-year-old woman was sentenced to death in 2013 after being caught smuggling 4.8 kilograms of cocaine into Bali from Bangkok.
Officials said the repatriation took place on humanitarian grounds due to her age and declining health.
Background of Lindsay Sandiford’s Case
Sandiford was arrested after customs officers found cocaine hidden inside her suitcase lining. The drugs were valued at over $2 million. Her conviction in 2013 placed her among several foreigners sentenced to death for drug offences in Indonesia.
Alongside her, another British national, Shahab Shahabadi, who was serving a life sentence for drug charges, was also repatriated to the UK.
Indonesia and UK Humanitarian Agreement
Indonesia’s legal affairs minister, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, confirmed last month that both governments had finalized the deal to transfer Sandiford. The agreement allows her to serve the remainder of her sentence in the UK under British law.
Britain’s deputy ambassador, Matthew Downing, addressed the media in Bali before the flight’s departure. He said Sandiford would be “governed by the law and procedures of the UK.”
He added that the repatriation agreement is reciprocal, allowing Indonesia to request the return of Indonesian citizens serving sentences in Britain. However, no such request has been made yet.
Humanitarian Grounds and International Cooperation
Sandiford appeared in a wheelchair during the press conference but did not speak publicly. Officials emphasized that her repatriation demonstrates a growing humanitarian cooperation between the two nations.
Over the past year, Indonesia has released several foreign nationals on death row, including five Australians, a French citizen, and a Filipino woman.
This move marks a significant moment in international relations and reflects Indonesia’s evolving stance on compassionate repatriation policies.