Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Together with more than 110 of my parliamentary colleagues from both sides of this parliament, I have signed a letter to the President of Indonesia setting out our concerns and objections to capital punishment and requesting his reconsideration of the cases of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. The cases of the Bali nine and in particular the application of the death penalty has been a very significant issue for me throughout my whole parliamentary life. It is important to note that these arrests were the result of an investigation initiated by the Australian Federal Police in which they shared information and sought the cooperation of their Indonesian counterparts.

Capital punishment is a cruel and inhuman treatment and one that violates the most basic of all human rights—namely, life itself. Chan and Sukumaran have lived now almost 10 years on death row under the constant threat of execution. Clearly they have committed a serious crime and deserve punishment, but I cannot accept that the death penalty is appropriate under any circumstances. I encourage the Indonesians to review their decision on Chan and Sukumaran, even to the extent of deporting them to face charges in Australia. I seek leave to table the letter that was signed by more than 110 of our parliamentary colleagues.

Leave granted.

I thank the House. I welcome further contributions on this matter.