Lindsay Sandiford, a frail elderly woman who was sentenced to death in 2013 for smuggling cocaine into Indonesia, has been released from Bali’s Kerobokan jail after spending a decade behind bars. The 69-year-old grandmother, seen in disheveled appearance and wearing a face mask, left the notorious prison in a wheelchair and is now on her way back to the UK on an 8,000-mile journey.
Sandiford, who is reported to be in poor health after enduring 12 years in harsh prison conditions, is eager to reunite with her family and receive necessary medical care upon her return to London. She is set to board a flight back to the UK, supported by the UK Government, which secured her release.
Following a bilateral agreement between Indonesia and the UK, Sandiford’s release was facilitated, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper making a personal appeal to Indonesian authorities for her repatriation. Sandiford, along with another prisoner, Shahab Shahabadi, will be transferred back to the UK under the agreement signed by Indonesia’s senior law and human rights minister.
Sandiford’s ordeal began in 2013 when she was caught with cocaine in her luggage at Denpasar Airport, claiming she was coerced by a drug syndicate to carry out the smuggling. Despite her lack of prior criminal record, she was sentenced to death. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirmed their support for Sandiford and another British national detained in Indonesia for their return to the UK.
Sandiford’s release marks the end of a long and distressing chapter for her, signaling a positive development in international relations between the UK and Indonesia.
