Indonesia and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement to repatriate two British nationals serving lengthy sentences for drug-related crimes, including 68-year-old Lindsay June Sandiford, who has been on death row in Bali for more than a decade.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday in Jakarta by Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. Both governments described the move as part of ongoing diplomatic cooperation in the fields of law enforcement and human rights.
Sandiford’s Case and Health Condition
Lindsay Sandiford was sentenced to death in 2013 for smuggling 4.8 kilograms of cocaine worth approximately 2.1 million dollars into Bali from Thailand. During her trial, she claimed she had been coerced by an international drug syndicate that had threatened her son’s life. Her appeal was rejected the same year, and she has since remained in Bali’s overcrowded Kerobokan Women’s Prison.
Indonesian officials confirmed that Sandiford’s deteriorating health, including diabetes and hypertension, was a key factor in the decision to allow her transfer. The Indonesian government stated that the repatriation aligns with its commitment to upholding human rights principles, particularly for foreign inmates suffering from serious medical conditions.
“Indonesia values international cooperation rooted in humanity, especially for foreign nationals who are seriously ill while serving their sentences,” Yusril said at a press briefing after the signing.
Another British Inmate to Be Repatriated
Alongside Sandiford, the agreement also covers Shahab Shahabadi, a 35-year-old British citizen serving a life sentence at Kembangkuning Prison on Nusakambangan Island for narcotics trafficking. Indonesian authorities said Shahabadi suffers from severe skin and mental health conditions that have worsened in recent years.
Both prisoners will be transferred to British custody once the necessary legal and logistical arrangements are finalized. The process includes document verification, medical evaluations, and intergovernmental coordination.
Diplomatic Negotiations and Implementation
According to officials, the transfer deal follows months of diplomatic discussions between Jakarta and London. Talks began in January 2025 and culminated in a formal request from the UK Justice Secretary in April. The British Embassy in Jakarta confirmed that it is working closely with Indonesian authorities to ensure the repatriation proceeds smoothly but declined to specify a timeline for the transfer.
Since taking office in October 2024, President Prabowo Subianto’s administration has facilitated the repatriation of several foreign inmates convicted of drug offenses, including Mary Jane Veloso of the Philippines and Serge Atlaoui of France.
Broader Context of Indonesia’s Drug Policy
Indonesia has not carried out any executions since 2016, when four prisoners, including three Nigerian nationals, were executed for drug trafficking. However, more than 90 foreign nationals remain on death row in the country, most of them convicted of narcotics-related crimes.
The new agreement with the United Kingdom marks another step in Indonesia’s evolving approach toward handling foreign prisoners, balancing strict drug laws with humanitarian considerations.
