Indonesia to Repatriate British Woman on Death Row on Humanitarian Grounds

TDT | Manama

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In a rare act of compassion, Indonesia has agreed to repatriate Lindsay Sandiford, a 69-year-old British woman who has spent over a decade on death row for drug trafficking. The decision, announced on Tuesday, follows a bilateral agreement between Jakarta and London to allow Sandiford to return to the United Kingdom on humanitarian grounds.

Sandiford, a grandmother from the UK, was convicted in 2013 for smuggling 4.8 kilograms of cocaine valued at more than $2 million into Bali from Bangkok. Her case drew international attention due to her age, health condition, and claims that she was coerced into the act.

Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Indonesia’s senior minister for legal affairs, confirmed that the agreement was reached after Britain requested clemency on Sandiford’s behalf.

“Lindsay is old and sick. During her time in prison, she has shown good behaviour. That was enough reason for us to grant the UK’s request that she be allowed to return home and serve the remainder of her sentence there,” Mahendra told Reuters.

The minister added that another British national serving a life sentence in Indonesia would also be released as part of the arrangement.

Sandiford is expected to be flown back to Britain within the next two weeks, pending final administrative procedures.

The British Foreign Office has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.

Sandiford’s case has long been emblematic of Indonesia’s uncompromising stance on narcotics — one of the world’s toughest — where drug traffickers often face the death penalty. Her repatriation marks a rare humanitarian exception in the country’s judicial system, offering a glimmer of mercy in a policy landscape known for its rigidity.