Notorious Bali Nine Return to Australia After Nearly 20 Years
Five members of the Bali Nine have returned to Australia after serving nearly two decades in Indonesian prisons for drug smuggling.
Bali, Australia, Bali Nine, Drug Smuggling, Indonesian Prisons
Bali: The remaining five members of the Bali Nine are finally back in Australia. They spent almost 20 years in Indonesian jails for trying to smuggle a hefty 8.3 kilograms of heroin back in 2005.
Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, and Martin Stephens landed in Australia on Sunday. They came home on commercial flights and won’t face any more jail time here.
This isn’t exactly a clemency deal, and Australia doesn’t have a prisoner transfer agreement with Indonesia. But it’s a big step for these guys.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed their return in a statement. He acknowledged the serious crimes they committed but also thanked Indonesia for helping bring them back on humanitarian grounds.
Albanese emphasized the strong relationship between Australia and Indonesia, noting that the Australian government has always supported these men and their families.
Now that they’re back, they’ll have a chance to focus on their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The government has even arranged temporary housing for them to access medical and other support services.
This arrangement came after years of advocacy from Albanese, who discussed it with Indonesian Prime Minister Prabowo Subianto during the APEC Summit in Lima last month.
More updates are expected soon.