Indonesia and France sign deal for repatriation of French death row prisoner

Indonesia and France have finalized an agreement to repatriate Serge Atlaoui.

Indonesia and France have signed an agreement to repatriate Serge Atlaoui, a Frenchman who has been on death row in Indonesia since 2007 for alleged drug offenses. Atlaoui, 61, is set to return to France after months of talks between the two nations.

On February 4, following the signing of the deal remotely by Indonesia’s senior minister for law Yusril Ihza Mahendra and France’s Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin, witnessed by both countries' delegations in Jakarta and Paris.

Indonesia has one of the toughest drug laws on the world. Atlaoui, who has been in prison for his involvement in an ecstasy production operation, was originally sentenced to life in prison, Atlaoui’s sentence was later changed to the death penalty after an appeal to the Supreme Court. After receiving the death sentence, he was initially held on Nusakambangan Island in Central Java, which is known as Indonesia’s "Alcatraz." Later on he was transferred to the city of Tangerang. 

He received a temporary reprieve from the death sentence after Paris intensified its pressure, prompting Indonesian authorities to allow the pending appeal to be heard. He made a final plea last month, requesting to serve the remainder of his sentence in France due to his health condition, reportedly suffering from cancer.

The Indonesian government has agreed to transfer Atlaoui back to France, where he will complete his sentence. France’s ambassador to Indonesia, Fabien Penone, thanked the Indonesian government for granting Atlaoui’s request and emphasized the strengthening of legal cooperation between the two nations.

Atlaoui, a father of four, has maintained his innocence, claiming he believed he was working in an acrylics factory, not a drug lab. The agreement marks a step toward reinforcing bilateral relations between Indonesia and France.

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