Indonesia on Thursday July 28, rejected mounting International pressure and desperate pleas from relatives to halt the execution of 14 drug convicts who are expected to imminently face the firing squad.
The group, including foreigners from Nigeria, Pakistan, India and Zimbabwe as well as Indonesians, have been placed in isolation on a prison island where Jakarta carries out executions.
Authorities stepped up preparations, with ambulances seen transporting coffins over to the island and cars heading for the penal colony in the evening carrying convicts' relatives, police and religious counsellors.
President Joko Widodo believes Indonesia faces an emergency due to rising drugs consumption and has dramatically escalated the use of capital punishment, putting to death 14 drug convicts, mostly foreigners, since he took power in 2014.
Family members say they have been told the convicts in the forthcoming round will be executed
Thursday night, according to a lawyer and diplomat, a day earlier than had originally been expected. The government could not be reached for comment.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led international condemnation, urging Widodo to halt the imminent executions and declare a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on Indonesia to end the "unjust" use of the death penalty and the European Union has also urged a halt.
But Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir defended the upcoming executions as "pure law enforcement".
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