Bali Nine: Where members of the heroin smuggling ring are now
As Renae Lawrence prepares to return to Australia, many members of the Bali Nine heroin smuggling ring continue to languish behind bars. SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM
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Convicted drug smuggler Renae Lawrence is soon to be released from an Indonesian jail, but other Bali Nine members face uncertain fates.
While two were executed by firing squad, others languish behind bars, with authorities maintaining a hard line stance against their sentences.
Here’s where members of the infamous heroin smuggling ring are now:
ROLLING: Renae Lawrence’s final hours in jail
MORE: Renae Lawrence’s mixed emotions about freedom
MORE: How Renae Lawrence survived Bali’s brutal jails
RENAE LAWRENCE
One of the four couriers, arrested at Bali international airport on April 17, 2005, with 8.2kg of heroin between them. Sentenced to 20 years in jail, Lawrence, from Newcastle, NSW, is due to be released from Bangli jail on November 21 this year. She will have served 13 years and seven months in jail, having received twice-yearly sentence remissions. She was originally due for release in May this year but opted to serve an extra six months in jail in lieu of paying her $100,000 fine.
ANDREW CHAN
Chan was sentenced to death for his role in the Bali Nine. The Sydney man lost all appeals against the death penalty and despite reforming and helping to set up a series of rehabilitation programs in Kerobokan jail his plea for clemency was rejected. He helped run the jail’s church, studied ministry an was ordained as a pastor. Executed by firing squad in April 2015.
MYURAN SUKUMARAN
Sukumaran was also sentenced to death. He was instrumental in setting up and running a series of rehabilitation programs in Kerobokan jail, including a successful art workshop. He became an accomplished painter himself, mentored by acclaimed Australian artist Ben Quilty. He plea for clemency was also rejected by the Indonesian President and he was executed by firing squad in April 2015.
MORE: Renae Lawrence’s rocky prison romance revealed
MORE: What Renae Lawrence has missed out on
MORE: Lawrence to walk into the arms of NSW police
SCOTT RUSH
Serving a life sentence, currently in the Bangli Narcotics jail in northeast Bali. Rush was one of four couriers, caught at Bali international airport with heroin strapped to his body. The couriers were arrested as they were about to board a flight to Sydney. Rush’s sentence was increased, on appeal, to the death penalty and on further appeal reduced to life in jail. He does not qualify for remissions. In April this year his application for a sentence reduction, to 20 years, was rejected by the Indonesian Government.
MATTHEW NORMAN
Norman is serving a life sentence in Kerobokan prison. Norman was one of four Australians arrested at a Kuta hotel with the remnants of the heroin strapped to the couriers along with the tape and paraphernalia used in the drug run. His sentence was also increased to the death penalty and then reduced to life on further appeal. He is a model prisoner, continuing to run the rehabilitation programs in jail and the Jail boss has endorsed his application for a sentence cut to 20 years. So far the applications have been turned down.
SI YI CHEN
Serving a life sentence in Kerobokan jail. He was arrested with the group of four at a Kuta hotel. His sentence was increased to the death penalty and then back to life on further appeal. He runs a silver workshop inside Kerobokan, training prisoners in the art of making silver jewellery and is a model prisoner. He too has won the support of the prison governor for a sentence cut but has so far been unsuccessful.
MICHAEL CZUGAJ
Czugaj was one of the four couriers arrested at Bali airport with heroin strapped to him. Serving a life sentence in Madiun prison in East Java. The former Brisbane schoolboy was moved to Madiun prison in April 2016 after Kerobokan jail bosses claimed to have found the drug ice in his cell. Like the other Bali Nine members on life sentences he has been unsuccessful in gaining a sentence reduction.
MARTIN STEPHENS
Serving a life sentence in Malang prison in East Java. Stephens was one of the four couriers, arrested at Bali airport with drugs strapped to their thighs and stomachs. He was moved to Malang prison in March 2014. In April 2011 he married Indonesian woman Christine Puspayanti in a ceremony inside Kerobokan jail. Like the others his attempts to have the sentence reduced have been turned down.
TAN DUC THANH NGUYEN
The former Brisbane man died in May this year after suffering stomach cancer. Nguyen was serving a life sentence and, until his illness saw him moved to a Jakarta prison and later a hospital, he was jailed at Malang prison with Martin Stephens. He was arrested at a Kuta hotel with four others and the remnants of the heroin strapped to the couriers.
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