The five remaining members of the Bali Nine are finally back on home soil and are set to be freed.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has revealed the men have arrived in the country after a deal was reached with the new Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto.
Matthew Norman, Martin Stephens, Scott Rush, Michael Czugaj and Si Yi Chen travelled on commercial flights that landed in Australia today and have been taken to a rehab facility.
Albanese said he was “pleased to confirm” the group had returned home to Australia and praised the president for his “act of compassion.”
Two convicted ringleaders of the Bali Nine, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, were executed by a firing squad in 2015, causing a diplomatic furore.
Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen died from cancer in prison.
The nine were arrested in an attempt to smuggle 8.3 kilograms of heroin from Indonesia’s resort island of Bali to Australia in 2005.
The five had been serving life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Renae Lawrence, the only woman in the group, was released and returned to Australia in 2018.
In a joint statement Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong added the men had “committed serious offences, serving over 19 years in prison in Indonesia.”
“We would like to convey our deep appreciation to the Government of Indonesia for its cooperation to facilitate the men’s return to Australia on humanitarian grounds,” it said.
“This reflects the strong bilateral relationship and mutual respect between Indonesia and Australia.
“The Australian Government has consistently advocated for the men and provided consular support to them and their families.
“The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
