The survey, conducted by Roy Morgan Research in Australia from last Friday to Tuesday involving 2,123 people, has shown that 52 percent of the respondents agree that Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, members of the so-called Bali Nine drug ring, should be executed.
“A slight majority of Australians say that Australians convicted of drug trafficking in another country and sentenced to death should be executed,” Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan said on the company’s website on Tuesday.
He said this opinion was shared among five Australian states — New South Wales, Queensland, West Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.
“Only in Victoria are slightly more respondents opposed to the death penalty being carried out, compared to 49 percent in favor,” Morgan wrote.
He added that there was a clear gender split, with 60 percent of men in favor of the death penalty being carried out, while only 46 percent of women agreed.
Meanwhile, the proportion of those who believe the Australian government should not do more to stop the executions is even higher.
“When asked whether the Australian government should do more to stop the execution of Andrew Chan & Myuran Sukumaran a clear majority of Australians [62 percent] say the Australian government should not do more, compared to only 38 percent that say the Australian government should do more,” he wrote.
“Looking at key demographics shows that a majority of Australians in each age group, both genders and through all six states agree that the Australian government should not do more to stop the executions of Chan and Sukumaran,” he added.
After President Joko Widodo rejected their clemency pleas in December last year, Chan and Sukumaran are now among 11 convicts on death row in Indonesia that reportedly will face the firing squad in the second batch, followin the execution of six prisoners earlier this month.
Eight of the 11 convicts had been condemned for narcotics offenses and the rest for premeditated murder.
Indonesian Attorney General H. M. Prasetyo refused to comment on when and where they would executed.
“We are still looking for the right time and the right location. I can confirm that there are convicts from France, Ghana, the Philippines and Australia,” Prasetyo said at the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Wednesday, as quoted by Indonesian news portal detik.com.
While stopping short of identifying those facing the firing squad, he indicated that the executions of Chan and Sukumaran would not take place in Bali.
He added that the government spent Rp 200 million ($16,000) for the execution of each convict, citing preparation costs.
The Australian pair’s Indonesian lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis, on Tuesday said his legal team would file a second review of the death penalty this week for his clients.
“We are optimistic. We will try our best to seek justice for Andrew and Myuran,” Todung told the Jakarta Globe.
Penalty Poll More than 60 percent also believe their government should not do anything to help fellow citizens on death row abroad
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