Serge Atlaoui, a French national, will be repatriated from Indonesia after spending 20 years on death row for drug-related offenses. He consistently claimed his innocence and requested to serve a 30-year maximum sentence in France. A formal agreement between the two nations has been reached, marking a step in bilateral legal cooperation.
Indonesia has formally agreed to repatriate Serge Atlaoui, a French man who has spent 20 years on death row for alleged drug offenses. Scheduled for return to France on February 4, this arrangement follows the recent repatriation of five Australians convicted of drug smuggling. Atlaoui was arrested in 2005 for his involvement in an MDMA manufacturing operation and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment, a ruling that Indonesia’s Supreme Court later escalated to death in 2007.
Throughout his 19 years in custody, Atlaoui has consistently asserted his innocence, claiming he worked as a welder at the factory in question. His request, submitted to the Indonesian government last month, sought to serve the remainder of his sentence in France, where the maximum penalty for serious crimes is 30 years. The agreement was formally signed by Indonesia’s senior minister of law, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and French Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin.
The repatriation of Serge Atlaoui marks a significant development in international legal cooperation between Indonesia and France. With Atlaoui’s impending relocation, French authorities are set to assume responsibility for his case. This occurrence highlights broader issues regarding Indonesia’s strict drug laws and ongoing debates over the death penalty, underscoring the international community’s stance against such measures.
Original Source: www.euronews.com
