Two Thai drug smugglers executed

JAKARTA, Indonesia  _ Indonesia Friday executed two Thai nationals found guilty  of smuggling heroin into the country 10 years ago, ignoring last-minute  concerns raised by Amnesty International that their trials may have been  unfair.

Saelow Praseart, a 58-year-old man, and Namsong Sirilak, a 32-year-old  woman, were killed by police firing squad early Friday in the north Sumatran  capital of Medan, said the city's chief prosecutor Faried Haryanto.

The pair were arrested in Medan in January 1994 along with Indian national  Ayodhay Prasad Chaubey. They were carrying 12 kilograms (26 pounds) of  heroin.

All three were sentenced to death in 1996. Chaubey was executed in August.

<Several days before the execution, Namsong said that she had talked to her son on the phone,> said Erlianto Harahap, a social worker who visited the  pair ahead of the execution. <The boy asked about her mum and Namsong said  that she could not come home because she was busy.>  Praseart, who converted  to Christianity during his time on death row, was buried in Medan. Namsong  was cremated in a Buddhist ceremony, Haryanto said.

Late Thursday, London-based rights group Amnesty International appealed to  the government to stop the execution.

<amnesty International believes that their trials may not have been fair,  because they did not have access to legal representation before their trial  or to interpreters during the police investigation,> it said in a short  statement.

Chaubey was the first convict to be executed in Indonesia since 2001.

Amnesty, which opposes the death penalty in all cases, complained his trial  was also unfair.

There are about 65 people awaiting execution in Indonesia.

Many are from Africa and other Asian countries sentenced for drug offenses.

The death penalty for drug dealers is not unpopular in Indonesia, where  addiction to illegal drugs has ruined thousands of lives in poor communities.

Ejecutados dos narcotraficantes tailandeses

 Yakarta, 1 oct -   Dos tailandeses condenados a muerte por trafico de drogas fueron ejecutados  hoy por un peloton de fusilamiento en la ciudad de Medan, segun anuncio la  oficina del Fiscal General.

Namsong Sirilak, de 32 anos, y Saelow Prasert, de 62, fueron arrestados  en 1994 en el aeropuerto de Medan con 12,9 kilos de heroina en compania del  indio Ayodhya Prasad Chaubey, ejecutado el pasado mes de agosto.

Al igual que en el caso de Chaubey, la presidenta, Megawati  Sukarnoputri, rechazo la peticion de clemencia para los dos reos solicitada  por la organizacion humanitaria Amnistia Internacional.

Con la muerte de los dos ciudadanos tailandeses ascienden a tres los  ejecutados este ano en Indonesia, pais donde no se aplicaba la pena capital  desde 2001.

Actualmente, unas 65 personas esperan en el corredor de la muerte en las  carceles indonesias, la mayoria por delitos relacionados con el trafico de  drogas, segun Amnistia Internacional.

Sin embargo, las tres condenas a muerte emitidas en 2004 han sido por  actos terroristas, entre ellos el de la isla de Bali, que costo la vida a  202 personas en 2002. EFE.  

Deux Thailandais coupables de trafic de drogue executes en  Indonesie

 JAKARTA, 1er oct - Deux Thailandais reconnus coupables de trafic  de drogue ont ete fusilles vendredi, malgre l'appel de l'organisation de
  defense des droits de l'Homme Amnesty international a ne pas executer la  sentence, a annonce un porte-parole du procureur.

Namsong Sirilak, 32 ans, et Saelow Prasert, 62 ans, ont ete executes a 1h30 locales a Medan, sur l'ile de Sumatra, a precise Kemah Yahya Rachman.

Un Indien de 67 ans, egalement condamne a mort pour trafic d'heroine,  avait ete execute debut aout malgre des appels internationaux contre cette  premiere execution depuis 2001.

 La presidente Megawati Sukarnoputri a refuse sa grace a plus de dix  trafiquants de drogue ces derniers mois. Plus d'une vingtaine de  trafiquants, la plupart etrangers, attendant l'execution de leur  condamnation a mort en Indonesie, pays confronte a un probleme de drogue de  plus en plus aigu.

 Selon Amnesty international, l'Indonesie compte au moins 66 condamnes a  mort. Sur la trentaine de personnes condamnees pour l'attentat de Bali, qui  a fait 202 morts en octobre 2002, trois ont ete condamnees a la peine  capitale.