Ask Onix
Indonesia approves return of elderly Dutch inmates
Indonesia has finalized an agreement to send two ailing Dutch nationals back to the Netherlands after years of imprisonment for drug-related offenses, the Dutch government confirmed on Tuesday.
Details of the agreement
The repatriation deal was signed in Jakarta by Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Law and Human Rights, Yusril Ihza Mahendra. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel participated virtually. The two men-Siegfried Mets, 74, and Ali Tokman, 65-are scheduled to arrive in Amsterdam on December 8.
Mets, sentenced to death in 2008 for smuggling 600,000 ecstasy pills, is currently held in Jakarta. Tokman, initially sentenced to death in 2015 for trafficking 6 kilograms of MDMA, later had his sentence reduced to life imprisonment and is imprisoned in Surabaya.
Health concerns drive decision
Indonesian authorities cited deteriorating health as the reason for approving the transfer. The Dutch government had formally requested their return on humanitarian grounds, expressing gratitude for Indonesia's cooperation in a statement.
"We highly appreciate the cooperation of the Indonesian authorities," the Dutch government said.
Marc Gerritsen, the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, attended the signing ceremony in Jakarta and described himself as "very grateful" that the men would soon be "closer to their families."
Broader context of foreign prisoners in Indonesia
According to Indonesia's law ministry, approximately 500 inmates remain on death row in the country, many convicted of drug offenses. While five Dutch nationals are currently serving sentences in Indonesia, only Mets and Tokman were included in the repatriation request.
Indonesia has recently allowed similar transfers for foreign prisoners facing health issues. In November, two British nationals-Lindsay Sandiford, 69, and Shahab Shahabadi, 35-were sent home after being convicted of drug crimes. In February, French citizen Serge Atlaoui returned to France after spending nearly two decades on death row for drug-related charges.
Next steps
The Indonesian government stated that the final decision regarding the two men's legal status now rests with Dutch authorities. Their repatriation follows formal approval granted in October.
