English businessman and founder of Virgin
Group, Richard Branson, has written a letter to
Joko Widodo, president of Indonesia, to spare
the lives of Agbaje Salami and eight
others awaiting clearance to be executed for
drug-related offences.
The letter was also signed by former presidents
Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil and Ruth
Dreifuss of Switzerland, who are members of
the Global Commission on Drug Policy .
All three also expressed willingness to travel to
Indonesia “in the next few days” to speak with
Widodo and discuss their research on better
approaches for treating drug crimes.
“Several years of studies show that treating
drugs as a health issue rather than a criminal
issue would dramatically improve Indonesia’s
drugs problems, as has happened in countries
like Portugal,” Branson said.
“As I wrote recently, the death penalty is a
barbaric and inhumane form of punishment that
has long been proven to achieve absolutely
nothing to deter or prevent crime. It is
important that everyone continues to speak out
for all those facing execution.”
Last week, President Goodluck Jonathan made
a similar plea to Harry Purwanto, Indonesia’s
new ambassador to Nigeria, but an Indonesian
court subsequently sanctioned Salami’s
impending execution , turning down his appeal
against Widodo’s rejection of his clemency
plea.
Indonesia maintains strict adherence to its
anti-drug laws. On January 18, it executed (by
firing squad) two Nigerians, Solomon Chibuike
Okafor, (alias Namaona Denils) and Daniels
Enemuo (alias Diarrassoube Mamadou). A
woman from Indonesia, another from Vietnam,
and two male Brazilian and Dutch nationals
were executed on that day as well.
The full letter reads:
Dear President Widodo,
As members of the Global Commission on Drug
Policy, which includes some ten former Heads
of State and Government as well as experts on
drug policy, human rights, law enforcement and
public health, we are writing to ask for
clemency for Australian nationals Andrew Chan
and Myuran Sukumaran, Brazilian national
Rodrigo Gularte, French national Serge Atlaoui,
Ghanaian national Martin Anderson alias Belo,
Nigerian national Raheem Agbaje Salami, and
Indonesian nationals Iyen bin Azwar, Harun bin
Ajis, Sargawi alias Ali bin Sanusi, and Zainal
Abidin, who are awaiting their execution by
Indonesian authorities, following earlier
convictions for drug-related offences.
It is not our intention to weigh in on the judicial
particulars of these cases. Nor do we suggest
that those named above did not commit the
crimes for which they were convicted, or that
they should not serve time for their misdeeds.
However, we feel strongly that the death
penalty is an inhumane form of punishment that
has been proven time and again to fail as a
deterrent of crime. Countries that still carry out
executions for drug offences have not seen any
significant shifts in supply and demand. The
drug trade remains remarkably unaffected by
the threat of capital punishment.
Furthermore, the death penalty removes any
chance of forgiveness for the remorseful. It is
our understanding that several of the
defendants, many still in early adulthood when
convicted, have expressed enormous regret for
their offences and resolved to live better, more
purposeful lives.
We have the highest consideration for the laws
of Indonesia and your responsibility as
President to keep your nation and its people
safe from crime and harm. However, as
advocates of evidence-based drug policy
reform, we have studied different national
approaches in great depth. We have learned
that treating drugs as a health issue and not as
a criminal one, helps lower the number of drug
deaths, limits the spread of infectious diseases
like HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis, reduces drug-
related crime and allows people who struggle
with addiction to become useful members of
society again.
If you were to find it helpful, we would be happy
to come to Indonesia to discuss the issue with
you and your administration.
Mr. President, we hope you will consider our
plea and spare those named above this ultimate
and irreversible punishment. Granting clemency
would be a humane and righteous act, and a
first step towards sensible reform that could
become a shining example for the entire Asian
region.
Please accept assurances of our highest
consideration.
Sincerely,
Sir Richard Branson
Founder, Virgin Group
Commissioner, Global Commission on Drug
Policy
Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Former President of Brazil
Chair, Global Commission on Drug Policy
Ruth Dreifuss
Former President of Switzerland and Minister of
Home Affairs
Commissioner, Global Commission on Drug
Policy
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