JAKARTA, Indonesia — In a significant move under a bilateral agreement between Indonesia and the Netherlands, two Dutch nationals convicted of drug trafficking have been repatriated to the Netherlands on Monday evening. The handover took place at Cipinang Prison in Jakarta, where Indonesian authorities formally transferred custody of the prisoners to Dutch officials.

The repatriation comes after humanitarian requests from the Netherlands, as both prisoners were reportedly undergoing treatment for health issues. The Dutch government requested that they continue serving their sentences in their home country, reflecting Indonesia’s ongoing policy of transferring foreign inmates under specific bilateral agreements.

Details of the Prisoners

The two Dutch nationals involved are:

• Siegfried Mets, 74 – Sentenced to death for his role in transporting 600,000 ecstasy pills from the Netherlands to Indonesia. Mets has been imprisoned in Jakarta since February 2008 and will continue his sentence in the Netherlands.
• Ali Tokman, 65 – Serving a life sentence for smuggling over 6 kilograms (13.5 pounds) of brown MDMA into Indonesia, arrested at Surabaya airport in December 2014. Tokman has already served 11 years of his life sentence.

Both men were seen wearing baseball caps and bright green T-shirts during the handover ceremony. Indonesian authorities highlighted that their health conditions were a factor in the decision to repatriate them.

Indonesia’s Approach to Foreign Prisoner Transfers

Under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia has increasingly used bilateral agreements to repatriate foreign inmates. Past examples include:

• A Filipina sentenced to death for drug trafficking.
• Five Australians convicted of heroin smuggling.
• Two British nationals facing the death penalty and life sentences for drug offenses.

Indonesia continues to maintain strict drug laws, with some of the harshest penalties in the world, including the death penalty for serious drug crimes.

Indonesia’s Role in Global Drug Trafficking

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identifies Indonesia as a major hub for drug smuggling. Despite strict national laws, the country remains a key target for international drug syndicates, largely due to its youthful population and strategic location in Southeast Asia.

Currently, approximately 530 individuals are on death row in Indonesia, including nearly 100 foreign nationals, according to recent data from the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections. The last executions in the country, involving both a citizen and three foreigners, took place in July 2016.

Implications of the Repatriation

The transfer of Mets and Tokman underscores Indonesia’s willingness to cooperate with other countries on criminal justice matters, especially when humanitarian considerations are involved. It also highlights the challenges the country faces in balancing stringent drug enforcement with international diplomacy.

The Netherlands will now oversee the continuation of their sentences under its legal system, marking an important precedent in international prisoner transfer agreements.