Five Australians convicted as part of the Bali Nine drug smuggling case have returned to their home country after spending 19 years in Indonesia.
In 2005, nine Australians were arrested at Bali’s airport and in a hotel on the island, following a tip-off from Australian police to their Indonesian counterparts about the drug network. The Australians were convicted for smuggling 8.3 kilograms of heroin out of Bali.
The five men who flew back to Australia on Sunday, the 15th of December were the remaining of the nine still imprisoned in Indonesia. Two members of the group were executed in 2015. They were identified as the leaders and were sentenced to death. The other seven received life sentences.
The executions in 2015 caused a global outcry and strained relations between Australia and Indonesia. In Australia, there was additional criticism that the police had shared tips about the drug network.
The only female member of the group was released in 2018 after a sentence reduction, while another member died in prison that same year from cancer.
Reintegrating into Australian Society
The five remaining members were allowed to return after years of lobbying by the Australian government. On Sunday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the five had arrived in Australia that morning. Albanese stated that while they had committed “serious crimes, it is now time for them to come home.”
The Australian government has provided temporary housing to help the men restart their lives, according to Australian news outlet ABC. They will also voluntarily participate in a reintegration programme.
Although they can now live freely in Australia, Indonesia has stipulated that the group members are never allowed to return to the country.