Bali Nine
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:14:50 PM Wikipedia source
The Bali Nine were a group of nine Australians convicted for attempting to smuggle 8.3 kg (18 lb) of heroin out of Indonesia in April 2005. The heroin was valued at around A$4 million and was bound for Australia. Ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were sentenced to death and executed on 29 April 2015. Six other members, Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush and Martin Stephens, were sentenced to life imprisonment whilst another, Renae Lawrence, received a 20 year sentence. She was released after the sentence was commuted in November 2018. The Indonesian authorities reported on 5 June 2018 that Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen had died of stomach cancer. In November 2024, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sought the repatriation to Australia of the remaining five members of the Bali Nine. On 15 December 2024, the five remaining members of the group were repatriated to Australia, and their life sentences were commuted with immediate effect.
Infobox
Tables
| Defendant | From | Notes |
| Andrew Chan | Enfield, New South Wales | Sentenced to execution by firing squad on 14 February 2006 by the Denpasar District Court Sentence upheld upon appeal to the Bali High Court on 26 April 2006 Judicial review lodged with the Denpasar District Court on 13 August 2010 Sentence upheld upon appeal to the Indonesian Supreme Court on 10 May 2011 Pleas for clemency was rejected by the Indonesian President Joko Widodo on 22 January 2015 Final appeal for judicial review rejected by the Denpasar District Court on 4 February 2015 On 6 April 2015, State Administrative court rejects subsequent appeal against Presidential rejection of clemency. Executed on 29 April 2015 by firing squad at Nusa Kambangan prison. |
| Si Yi Chen | Doonside, New South Wales | Sentenced to life imprisonment by the Denpasar District Court on 15 February 2006 Sentence reduced to 20 years upon appeal by Judge Arsan Pardede in the Bali High Court on 26 April 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court imposes the death penalty on 6 September 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court reduces sentence to life imprisonment on 6 March 2008 Served time in Kerobokan Prison Returned to Australia on 15 December 2024 |
| Michael Czugaj | Oxley, Queensland | Sentenced to life imprisonment by the Denpasar District Court on 14 February 2006 Sentence reduced to 20 years upon appeal by Judge Arsan Pardede in the Bali High Court on 26 April 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court reinstates sentence of life imprisonment on 6 September 2006 Served time in Kerobokan Prison Returned to Australia on 15 December 2024 |
| Renae Lawrence | Newcastle, New South Wales | Sentenced to life imprisonment by the Denpasar District Court on 13 February 2006 Sentence reduced to 20 years upon appeal by Judge Arsan Pardede in the Bali High Court on 26 April 2006 Five-month remission on Merdeka Day on 17 August 2009 Initially served time in Kerobokan Prison; in 2013 transferred to Negara, Bali after authorities accused her of a plot to kill jail guards; in 2014 transferred to Bangli, Bali; Sentence commuted, released on 21 November 2018. |
| Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen | Brisbane, Queensland | Sentenced to life imprisonment by the Denpasar District Court on 15 February 2006 Sentence reduced to 20 years upon appeal by Judge Arsan Pardede in the Bali High Court on 26 April 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court imposes the death penalty on 6 September 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court reduces sentence to life imprisonment on 6 March 2008 Initially served time in Kerobokan Prison; in 2014 transferred to Malang, East Java when it was reported he had violated prison rules Died from cancer June 2018 in a Jakarta hospital |
| Matthew Norman | Sydney | Sentenced to life imprisonment by the Denpasar District Court on 15 February 2006 Sentence reduced to 20 years upon appeal by Judge Arsan Pardede in the Bali High Court on 26 April 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court imposes the death penalty on 6 September 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court reduces sentence to life imprisonment on 6 March 2008 Served time in Kerobokan Prison Returned to Australia on 15 December 2024 |
| Scott Rush | Chelmer, Queensland | Sentenced to life imprisonment by the Denpasar District Court on 13 February 2006 On appeal, Bali High Court imposes the death penalty on 6 September 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court reduces sentence to life imprisonment on 10 May 2011 Initially served time in Kerobokan Prison; in 2014 transferred to Karangasem, Bali Returned to Australia on 15 December 2024 |
| Martin Stephens | Towradgi, New South Wales | Sentenced to life imprisonment by the Denpasar District Court on 14 February 2006 Sentence of life imprisonment upheld upon appeal by Judge Lanang Parbawa in the Bali High Court on 26 April 2006 On appeal, Supreme Court upheld sentence of life imprisonment on 14 January 2011 Initially served time in Kerobokan Prison; in 2014 transferred to Malang, East Java, when it was reported he had violated prison rules Returned to Australia on 15 December 2024 |
| Myuran Sukumaran | Auburn, New South Wales | Sentenced to death on 14 February 2006 by the Denpasar District Court Sentence upheld upon appeal on 26 April 2006 by the Bali High Court Sentence upheld upon appeal to the Indonesian Supreme Court on 6 July 2011 Plea for clemency was rejected by the Indonesian President Joko Widodo on 30 December 2014 Final appeal for judicial review rejected by the Denpasar District Court on 4 February 2015 On 6 April 2015, State Administrative court rejects subsequent appeal against Presidential rejection of clemency. Executed on 29 April 2015 by firing squad at Nusa Kambangan prison. |
References
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- The New Zealand Heraldhttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10365568
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- Daily Telegraph
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- "Bali Nine Australians' death row appeal fails"https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32193992
- "Death row appeal fails: Australian 'Bali Nine' drug smugglers face execution"http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/06/asia/indonesia-bali-nine-appeal/
- "Bali nine: Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan lose appeal"http://www.smh.com.au/world/bali-nine-myuran-sukumaran-and-andrew-chan-lose-appeal-20150406-1mfdfp.html
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- The Jakarta Posthttps://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/29/ri-executes-8-drug-convicts.html
- The Economisthttps://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21693407-indonesias-stance-towards-rest-world-has-become-more-assertive-less-talk-more
- The Sydney Morning Heraldhttp://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music-for-mercy-ben-quilty-megan-washington-to-hold-martin-place-vigil-for-bali-nine-death-row-inmates-20150129-1303qd.html#ixzz3QCWPNjvc
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- The New Zealand Heraldhttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11440709
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