JAKARTA – Indonesia was set to repatriate a French national on Tuesday after he spent nearly 20 years on death row for drug-related crimes, a senior minister confirmed. The move follows Jakarta’s recent trend of transferring long-term foreign prisoners back to their home countries.
Serge Atlaoui, convicted for his role as a chemist in an ecstasy production facility, will be flown out of Jakarta under the supervision of French authorities, who arrived in the capital on Saturday. Law and Human Rights Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra confirmed the repatriation, stating, “As agreed with the French government, the transfer will take place on February 4.”
Atlaoui’s return to France was granted on humanitarian grounds due to his battle with cancer, according to Yusril. His case dates back to 2005, when he was arrested at a factory in Jakarta capable of producing up to 100 kilograms of ecstasy per week. Atlaoui has consistently denied any involvement in drug production, claiming he believed he was working in an acrylics manufacturing facility.
In 2015, he was scheduled for execution alongside seven other foreign prisoners but received a last-minute reprieve. However, his appeal against the death sentence was later dismissed, leaving him with no legal recourse.
Once back in France, Atlaoui’s legal status will be determined by French authorities. Under French law, the maximum sentence for a similar crime is 30 years in prison, Yusril noted.
His repatriation follows Indonesia’s December 2024 transfer of Mary Jane Veloso, a Philippine national sentenced to death for drug trafficking, and the return of the remaining five members of the “Bali Nine”—an Australian drug syndicate—who were sent home to complete their sentences.
Indonesia, known for its strict drug laws, has continued to enforce capital punishment for major drug offences, though recent humanitarian considerations have led to high-profile prisoner transfers.