EU CONDEMNS INDONESIA DEATH SENTENCE FOR TWO EUROPEANS

June 7, 2007: the European Union condemned an Indonesian court for sentencing two Europeans to death for drugs offences, urging the authorities in Jakarta to abolish capital punishment.
Dutch national Garnick Nicolaas, Frenchman Serge Atlaoui and five Chinese nationals were sentenced to death for running an ecstasy production plant described by Indonesian officials as one of the largest in Southeast Asia.
"The European Union strongly deplores the handing down of death sentences by the Supreme Court on May 29, 2007 for two European Union nationals, five Chinese nationals and two Indonesian nationals," the EU said in a statement.
"The European Union calls on Indonesian authorities to refrain from handing down death sentences and from carrying out executions."
The European Union is opposed to the death penalty and has repeatedly expressed support for the universal abolition of capital punishment.
Indonesia has launched a crackdown on drugs offenders, saying stiff sentences are needed to stem the flow of narcotics into and out of the country, and foreigners are not immune.
Indonesia carries out the death penalty by firing squad. (Sources: Eubusiness.com, 07/06/2007)