Prisoners Lindsay Sandiford, a 68-year-old British grandmother, recently dodged execution by firing squad. She negotiated a repatriation agreement between Indonesia and the UK that saved her from this fate. Sandiford was initially convicted for importing $2.5 million of cocaine into Bali. In 2013, Indonesia’s supreme court approved her death sentence.
Sandiford’s case – especially with the context of her deteriorating health – has gained a lot of attention. Photo by Richard Sumner She is now desperately sick. A physician from the British Consulate in Bali recently assessed her. As the Note underscores, the decision to repatriate Sandiford was based largely on her medical condition, highlighting the humanitarian nature of decision involved in her case.
Yvette Cooper, then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, praised efforts to overturn death sentences but noted the intricacies of Sandiford’s circumstances. She stated, “Both of them are facing problems. The first one is ill and has been examined by a doctor from the British Consulate in Bali. She is seriously ill and is 68 years old.”
The decision to repatriate Sandiford underscores the ongoing dialogue between the UK and Indonesia regarding treatment of foreign nationals facing serious health issues while incarcerated. While there are signs of progress, the deal still raises more questions than it answers. What Sandiford will encounter in legal process or legal provision when back in the UK is however less clear.
Sandiford’s plight has brought international attention to the draconian penalties for drug trafficking in Indonesia. The country’s laws are draconian, and under offenders are handed terrifyingly long prison sentences. Though her crimes were unforgivable, the feminism of her illness has awakened a new desire for compassion. Now people are asking them to rethink her fate.
