Australia says ‘Bali Nine’ drug smugglers have returned home happymamay

Australia has announced that the five remaining members of the Bali Nine drug gang have returned home after nearly 20 years in Indonesian prisons.

“I am pleased to confirm that Australian citizens Si Yi Chen, Michael Chugai, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush and Martin Stevens have returned to Australia this afternoon,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on social media.

He thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto “for his sympathy.”

This high-profile case began in 2005 when Indonesia arrested nine young Australians who were trying to smuggle 8.3 kg of heroin out of Bali.

The eight were men and one woman He was arrested at the airport And a hotel in Bali after a report from the Australian police.

The case made news around the world when two of the ringleaders, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were arrested. He was executed by firing squad in 2015 – Raising a dispute with Australia, which abolished the death penalty.

After executions in Australia It summoned its ambassador To Indonesia, though He returned to Jakarta Five weeks later.

Other members of the Bali Nine were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The case highlighted Indonesia’s strict drug laws, which are among the strictest in the world.

One of the nine, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died of cancer in 2018. Shortly afterwards, 41-year-old Renae Lawrence, the only woman among the group, had her sentence commuted after spending nearly 13 years in prison.

The Australian government said of the return of the five men: “The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration into Australia.”

It expressed its “deep appreciation” to Indonesia for allowing them to return home on humanitarian grounds.

It was not immediately clear whether the men would be required to continue serving their prison sentences in Australia under the terms of the agreement.