Frenchman on death row in Indonesia returns home
- Deepshikha maan
- Feb 4
- 2 min read
Deepshikha Maan, Jadetimes Staff
D. Maan is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia
Extradition Agreement Between Indonesia and France
A French national who had been on death row in Indonesia since 2007 for drug related offences is returning to France on Tuesday as part of a bilateral agreement between both countries.
Serge Atlaoui, 61, was arrested in 2005 at a factory in Jakarta, where authorities discovered dozens of kilos of drugs. Indonesian officials accused him of being a chemist involved in drug production.
On 24 January, Indonesia and France agreed to extradite Atlaoui on humanitarian grounds, citing his battle with cancer and the need for regular hospital treatment.
A Long Awaited Release
Atlaoui’s wife, Sabine Atlaoui, expressed her relief and gratitude. Speaking to France's RTL radio, she described his return as “a miracle”, highlighting that he had endured 19 years of incarceration and had narrowly escaped execution.
On Tuesday, Atlaoui was officially handed over to French police at Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. He departed for Paris on a commercial flight at 19:35 local time (12:35 GMT), according to an official source quoted by AFP.
Legal Proceedings in France
Upon landing in France on Wednesday morning, Atlaoui will be presented to prosecutors and will likely be detained while awaiting a legal decision, his lawyer Richard Sedillot told AFP.
According to Indonesia’s human rights minister, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a comparable offence in France carries a maximum sentence of 30 years. It will now be up to French authorities to determine whether he will receive clemency, amnesty, or a reduced sentence.Atlaoui's lawyer expressed optimism about his client’s future, stating that he is “delighted” with the extradition and will now work to adapt the sentence to conditions that allow his release.
Emotional Homecoming, Yet Uncertain Future
Despite returning to France, Atlaoui has requested not to meet his family at the airport. According to his wife, he wishes to reunite with them only when he is truly free.
“Unfortunately, we do not know how long it will take,” she told RTL.
A Case Marked by Controversy
Atlaoui, a welder from Metz in northeastern France, has consistently denied any involvement in drug trafficking. He claimed he was merely installing machinery in an acrylic factory, but admitted in a 2015 interview with AFP that he “suspected something was wrong”.
Initially sentenced to life imprisonment, his penalty was later upgraded to the death sentence upon appeal by the Indonesian Supreme Court.His execution was scheduled for 2015, but was indefinitely postponed following diplomatic intervention from the French government.
Recent Releases Under Indonesia’s Strict Drug Laws
In recent months, Indonesia has released several high profile foreign detainees convicted under the country’s strict anti drug laws.
In December, Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina mother, was extradited after spending nearly 15 years on death row for smuggling 2.6kg of heroin through an Indonesian airport.
The five remaining members of the “Bali Nine” drug ring were returned to Australia the same month.
Despite these recent releases, Indonesia’s Ministry of Immigration and Correction reports that 90 foreign nationals remain on death row in the country, including one woman.
Atlaoui’s case marks another example of how international negotiations and humanitarian considerations can influence sentences in high profile drug convictions.
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