Indonesia moving towards abolishing death penalty: Widodo

Indonesian President Joko Widodo says his country wants to move towards abolishing the death penalty.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo

Indonesian President Joko Widodo Source: AAP

Ahead of a two-day visit to Australia, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has indicated his country wants to move towards abolishing the death penalty.

He's told the ABC he thinks Indonesians will change their minds on execution laws as citizens in Europe had done in the past.

"We are very open to options," he said.

"I don't know when but we want to move towards that direction."

The execution in Indonesia last year of Australian drug traffickers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran strained relations between the two countries.

"Indonesia has regulations, Indonesia has its own law, which still allows execution. That's what I complied to," the president told the ABC.

"We also listened to what other countries had to say. But again, I have to follow the provisions of the law applicable in Indonesia."

But President Widodo also stressed the importance of rebuilding trust between Australia and Indonesia.


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Published 5 November 2016 5:30am
Updated 5 November 2016 8:36am
Source: AAP


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