The lawyer for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran has condemned their executions in Indonesia overnight.
Along with six other prisoners, the pair faced the firing squad at Nusakambangan prison early this morning.
Chan and Sukumaran’s lawyer, Peter Morrissey, condemned the executions, which proceeded despite an appeal to the constitutional court and an investigation into allegations of judicial corruption still underway.
“We had two bona fide legal processes, one in the constitutional court, the other one down at the judicial commission. Each one of them should have caused anyone on death row adjourned or deferred," he said. "Of course they shouldn’t shoot anyone. The whole thing as we’re seeing is just barbaric and disgraceful, but even within that it was quite clear that there was a reason to delay,” he told ABC News Breakfast.
Morrissey then took aim at Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Attorney-General Muhammad Prasetyo:
“The way they rode over their justice system, it’s confronting to me as a lawyer and those of us in the legal team who have worked on this. We’ve put in long hours and tried our best, [but] it’s as if we’re using the wrong songbook; we’re talking the language of law and they, those two, are talking the language of power.”
Although too early to say for certain, Morrissey said it was likely that the challenge to Indonesia’s constitutional court would go ahead. “But of course, they won’t be there to give any evidence to assist the court and the same goes for the judicial commission when they enquire into corruption – there will be two witnesses who are not there.”
Another member of Chan and Sukumaran’s legal team, Mulya Lubis, tweeted: "I failed. I lost. I am sorry".
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Law Council of Australia has extended its condolences on behalf of the Australian legal profession. “Both Mr Chan and Mr Sukumaran expressed remorse for their crimes and were exemplars of successful rehabilitation. They will be remembered for their positive contributions, which ultimately gained the respect of the Australian community for their courage and commitment to the rehabilitation of themselves and other prisoners,” Law Council president Duncan McConnel said.
“I also acknowledge the considerable work undertaken by the Australian Government at a diplomatic level in support of its citizens, and to the lawyers who worked tirelessly to support these two young men,” he added.
