[Kabar-indonesia] 3 Christians on Indonesia's death row unlikely to get pardon: minister

[Joyo at aol.com]

3 Christians on Indonesia's death row unlikely to get
pardon: minister

JAKARTA, August 30 (AP) - Three Christians on death
row for killing Muslims during religious clashes in
eastern Indonesia are unlikely to be granted a
presidential pardon, a minister said Wednesday, noting
that they must wait 15 months before submitting a
request.

The men -- Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus
da Silva -- were scheduled to go before a firing squad
earlier this month but received a last-minute stay of
execution following an appeal by Pope Benedict XVI.

Their lawyer this week asked that President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono pardon the men, even though a
similar request made nine months ago was denied.

"I have received their appeal ... and will give it to
the justice and human rights minister for
consideration," said State Secretary Yusril Ihza
Mahendra. "But as far as I know, the law stipulates
that a prisoner must wait two years to submit a new
request for a presidential pardon."

The three Christians are accused of instigating
attacks on Sulawesi island in 2000, including a
massacre at a Muslim boarding school in the town of
Poso that left nearly 200 unarmed students dead.

No new date has been announced for their executions,
though the attorney general said recently they would
face the firing squad eventually.

------------------------------------------ 
Joyo Indonesia News Service
------------------------------------------