A member of a firing squad has chillingly disclosed the potential fate awaiting Lindsay Sandiford, a British grandmother, had she not been set free.
Indonesia is infamous for its harsh penalties for offenses like drug trafficking, often resulting in death sentences, with a grim execution method in place. An officer has described the daunting firing squad procedure and its specifics.
Lindsay Sandiford, 69, faced the threat of execution in 2013 after receiving a death sentence for smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Indonesia from Thailand a year earlier. She spent 13 years in Kerobokan Prison in Bali, awaiting her destiny.
Fortunately, this year saw the confirmation that Sandiford would be returned to the UK and spared from the firing squad. Recently, she departed Bali on a flight, signaling the end of a distressing chapter for the former legal secretary.
Punishments in Indonesia for crimes like drug trafficking are severe, often resulting in death sentences, and the execution process is terrifying. Convicts are led to a designated area in a forest clearing where they can choose their stance and whether to cover their eyes with a blindfold or hood, all while bound by rope.
Before their fate, they reportedly have the chance to seek religious counsel and are attired in white, with a marking on their shirt above the heart as a target for the soldiers.
The firing squad comprises 12 officers, but only some have live ammunition in their rifles, ensuring uncertainty about who delivers the fatal shot. Officers are selected for their shooting skills, mental acuity, and physical fitness.
Standing at a distance of five to 10 meters from the convicts, the firing squad shoots upon command. A police officer from the firing squad on Nusa Kambangan prison island divulged the chilling aspects of his duty.
This officer, a member of the Mobile Brigade (“Brimob”), shared that executing prisoners is an additional task beyond their regular police duties, compensated with a nominal fee. Tying the person to the pole is described as the most challenging part for him, being the last human contact before death.
The officer expressed that witnessing the process from the convict being alive and talking to their death is part of the job. Once the shot is fired, they wait for the doctor’s confirmation of death before leaving.
He mentioned that the process is quick, with the prisoner becoming lifeless immediately after being shot. If a prisoner survives the initial round, a designated officer will administer a fatal shot to the head at close range.
The officer sees his role as following legal orders and fulfilling his oath as a soldier. He emphasized that the prisoner violated the law, and they, as officers, are executing a command.
Executions in Indonesia occur sporadically, often leaving inmates on death row for extended periods.
