Indonesia is preparing to hand over two British nationals sentenced for drug-related crimes. Among them is Lindsay Sandiford, a 68-year-old woman from northeast England sentenced to death on Bali. The second person to be repatriated will be 35-year-old Shahab Shahabadi, who received a life sentence for drug possession.
The repatriation agreement was signed on October 21, 2025, after which the prisoners will be handed over to the British authorities within two weeks. Both inmates are experiencing serious health issues.
Sandiford was arrested in 2012 upon arriving in Bali from Thailand: cocaine valued at over two million dollars was found in her luggage. In 2013, the Denpasar district court sentenced her to death. She admitted her guilt but claimed she transported the drugs under threat to her son.
Sandiford's story received wide publicity in the UK. In 2015, she published a column in the Mail on Sunday, where she wrote about her fear of execution, farewell letters, and her dream to sing Perry Como's song 'Magic Moments' before the execution. In prison, she was close to Andrew Chan, one of the 'Bali Nine', executed in 2015.
The repatriation of Sandiford and Shahabadi is part of President Prabowo Subianto's initiative to return foreign prisoners home. Earlier, in December 2024, Indonesia allowed Mary Jane Veloso to return to the Philippines, and in February 2025, Frenchman Serge Atlaoui was sent home.
According to Indonesia's Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, there are over 90 foreign nationals in the country awaiting death sentences for drug crimes. Indonesia is known for its strict anti-drug laws: the last execution was carried out in 2016 when one Indonesian and three Nigerian citizens were executed. Although executions have been suspended since then, authorities do not rule out their resumption.
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