UK grandmother on Indonesia death row arrives back in London

UK Grandmother on Indonesia Death Row Returns to London

Two British nationals convicted of drug-related crimes in Indonesia, including a grandmother once sentenced to death, have returned to the United Kingdom after more than ten years abroad.

Background and Convictions

Lindsay Sandiford, aged 69, was sentenced to death in 2013 in Bali for attempting to smuggle cocaine valued at about $2.14 million into Indonesia. She was released on humanitarian grounds after spending over a decade in custody.

Shahab Shahabadi, 36, who had been serving a life sentence since his 2014 drug arrest, was also freed under similar conditions. Indonesia, known for having some of the world’s strictest drug laws, has recently released several high-profile prisoners.

Return to the United Kingdom

According to Indonesia’s law and human rights ministry, both individuals departed Bali on a Qatar Airways flight bound for London via Doha. Upon arrival at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4, Sandiford was seen leaving in a wheelchair, escorted by security personnel and avoiding the press.

“Two British nationals who were detained in Indonesia have now returned to the UK,” said a spokesperson for the British Foreign Office.

Official Statements

“Their detention will be moved to the United Kingdom,” explained I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, an Indonesian official, during a handover ceremony at Bali’s Kerobokan prison.

Context

Indonesia’s decision marks part of a broader effort to transfer or release inmates under humanitarian agreements. The move follows an evolving trend of international cooperation in prisoner transfers.

Author’s Summary: After years on Indonesia’s death row, Lindsay Sandiford and fellow convict Shahab Shahabadi were repatriated to Britain under a humanitarian release agreement.

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RFI RFI — 2025-11-06

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