KBRN, Jakarta: Indonesia repatriated Serge Atlaoui, a French death row convict who was detained for 20 years in a drug case, on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at around 7.25 p.m. Jakarta time.

His lawyer said that Atlaoui was picked up from Salemba Detention Center in Jakarta before flying to Paris, as reported by rri.co.id.

Atlaoui's case began when he was arrested in 2005 for allegedly being involved as a chemist at an ecstasy factory in Jakarta that could produce 100 kg of illegal pills every week.

In his defense, Atlaoui's lawyer said that Atlaoui worked as a welder and did not know the purpose of the chemicals used in the factory.

Atlaoui was initially sentenced to life in prison, but the Indonesian Supreme Court changed his sentence to death in 2007.

In 2015, Atlaoui survived execution after the French government pressured Indonesia because the 61-year-old man still had an appeal that had not been decided at that time.

In December 2024, Atlaoui requested that the remainder of his sentence be served in France.

For nearly 20 years in prison, Atlaoui maintained his innocence and said he only worked as a laborer.

Upon arrival in France on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, Atlaoui will remain under the authority of the French authorities, pending a decision on his future sentence.

In France, the maximum penalty for similar crimes is 30 years.

Atlaoui's transfer to France is part of a repatriation agreement between the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Correctional and the French Minister of Justice on January 24, 2025, on humanitarian grounds.

This is because Atlaoui suffers from cancer and has been receiving weekly treatment at a hospital in Indonesia.

Atlaoui is not the only drug convict on death row that Indonesia has repatriated to their country of origin after serving dozens of years in Indonesian prisons, awaiting death or life imprisonment.

Previously, there was Mary Jane Veloso, who was repatriated to the Philippines, and also five death row convicts in the Bali Nine case who were repatriated to Australia. ***