Five Australians Return Home After Nearly 20 Years in Indonesian Prisons under Repatriation Deal

Five Australians who had spent almost two decades in Indonesian prisons for heroin trafficking have returned to Australia under a deal between the two governments, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Sunday. The men, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj, were among the notorious Bali Nine drug smugglers arrested in 2005 while attempting to smuggle 8.3 kilograms (18.3 pounds) of heroin to Australia.

The repatriation, which took place in secrecy, follows weeks of negotiations between Australian and Indonesian authorities. While there had been uncertainty about whether the men would serve their life sentences in Australian prisons, Albanese confirmed they returned as free citizens. The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for granting the men’s release, adding that Australia respects Indonesia’s legal processes and sovereignty.

The five men were part of a group arrested in Bali in 2005. Two of their co-conspirators, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed in 2015, causing significant diplomatic tensions between Australia and Indonesia. Another member of the group, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, passed away in prison in 2018, while Renae Lawrence, the only female member, was released in the same year and returned to Australia.

The repatriated men flew from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport to Darwin, Australia, without media presence. Indonesian authorities confirmed the men were not pardoned by the Indonesian president but were transferred as “prisoners” under an arrangement signed by Indonesia’s senior law minister, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, and Australian Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, on December 12.

The families of the five men expressed relief and happiness upon their return, emphasizing that the welfare of the men remains a priority as they begin their reintegration into Australian society. Australia has offered the men temporary accommodation, medical care, and support to assist in their rehabilitation.