Dutch Prisoners Reprieved: A New Chapter Begins

Two elderly Dutch prisoners, Siegfried Mets and Ali Tokman, convicted of drug offences, are being repatriated from Indonesia to the Netherlands. Their return follows a repatriation deal signed between the two nations for humanitarian reasons. They were handed over to Dutch embassy representatives and are set to depart for Amsterdam.

Two elderly Dutch prisoners, Siegfried Mets, 74, and Ali Tokman, 65, convicted of drug offences in Indonesia, are scheduled to depart for the Netherlands on Monday. This follows a recent repatriation agreement between the two countries for humanitarian reasons. They are among the latest in a series of foreign convicts granted reprieve from severe sentences in Indonesia.

The handover took place in a jail ceremony, where Indonesia's law ministry transferred custody to Dutch embassy officials, confirming strong bilateral ties. Ministry official I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram highlighted the law enforcement and humanitarian cooperation underpinning this move. The prisoners were to fly to Amsterdam from Jakarta at 7:30 p.m. local time.

Although details of possible sentences to be served in the Netherlands remain unclear, Mets was on death row since 2008 for smuggling 600,000 ecstasy pills, whereas Tokman received a life sentence on appeal after originally being sentenced to death in 2015 for smuggling MDMA. Both were reported in stable condition, though Mets recently required medical attention for a fracture.

(With inputs from agencies.)