Indonesia to Repatriate British Grandmother on Death Row for Drug Trafficking

Indonesia is set to sign an agreement on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, to repatriate two British nationals, including Lindsay Sandiford, a grandmother who has been on death row in Bali since 2013 for drug trafficking offenses. The repatriation will take place shortly after the technical arrangements are finalized, according to an Indonesian government source. Alongside Sandiford, 35-year-old Shahab Shahabadi, currently serving a life sentence for drug charges, will also be transferred .

Lindsay Sandiford was arrested in 2012 at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport after customs officers found cocaine worth an estimated $2.14 million concealed in a false bottom of her suitcase. She admitted to carrying the narcotics but claimed she had been coerced by a drug syndicate that threatened her son’s life. Despite prosecutors initially recommending a custodial sentence due to her cooperation, the court sentenced her to death by firing squad in 2013, citing the seriousness of undermining Indonesia’s strict anti-drug laws .

This repatriation comes amidst a recent policy shift by the administration of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who has moved to return several high-profile foreign inmates convicted of drug offenses to their home countries. Over 90 foreigners remain on death row in Indonesia for drug-related crimes. This year alone, Indonesia repatriated notable inmates including Filipina Mary Jane Veloso and French national Serge Atlaoui. The country last carried out executions in 2016 but has recently indicated a possible resumption of the death penalty .

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A press conference involving Indonesian authorities and the British ambassador to Indonesia is scheduled to mark the release and transfer of the two British nationals. The British embassy in Jakarta has deferred all related inquiries to the Indonesian government .

This repatriation deal highlights ongoing humanitarian and diplomatic efforts to address the complex issue of foreign nationals sentenced to death abroad, balancing legal justice with bilateral relations and human rights considerations.