As threat of the execution of two members of the Bali 9 draws darkly closer, CLA has joined in a direct appeal to the Indonesian President for clemency.
CLA joins bid for Bali 9 clemency
Civil Liberties Australia has joined 13 other Australians liberties-oriented organisations to formally ask for clemency for the two members of the Bali 9 drug smugglers facing imminent execution.
The group has written jointly to the Indonesian Ambassador, Najib Riphat Kesoema, and to Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, asking them to make renewed efforts to stop the executions.
The death penalty does not deter crime more than other punishments, the letters say.
“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, and is a violation of the right to life … in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” the letter says.
The group points out that Indonesia is a signatory to an international convention aiming to abolish capital punishment throughout the world.
Regardless of the crime commited, killing another human being is criminal! This is true even if the killing is carried out by law by a sovereign state. Although I respect the right’s of nations to deliver their own justice my respect is constrained by universal ethical limitations. We all know that Nazi Germany had a policy to exterminate Jews but we know that it wasn’t right!
I do not support the death penalty anywhere under any circumstances!
As intelligent and civilised human beings we owe it to ourselves not to be drawn into hatred and revenge. Premeditated killing is abhorrent and serves no justifiable nor sustainable purpose.
Sukamaren and Chan did a stupid thing and certainly a payment to society is due. They commited their crime in a country that deals harshly with it’s criminals and have faced the harshest penalty and consequences. Regardless of their willingness to accept the risk and to transgress, the dilemma remains – Kiling is wrong! – the death penalty is wrong!
Whilst there are bound to be those that are better and those that are worse, we owe it to ourselves to be the better.
Only then can we build a better world!