Counting On Sushma Swaraj, Says Family Of Punjab Man Who Faces Execution

New Delhi: A man from Punjab is among 14 people who are to be executed within hours, unless Indonesia changes its mind. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj phoned his family this evening to reassure them that she is doing her best to save Gurdip Singh, 48,  who belongs to Jalandhar.  

"We got a phone call from my father today early morning, he told me that he has lost all hope and now his dead body will return," said his daughter, Manjit Kaur, who was barely three years old when Mr Singh migrated from India.  Duped by an agent into paying for what he believed was a work visa in New Zealand, Mr Singh was allegedly abandoned mid-journey in Indonesia.  He was convicted of smuggling drugs in 2004.

"His brother spoke with Sushma Swaraj's staff this morning, we are pinning our hope on her," says Kulwinder Kaur, Mr Singh's wife. 

Mr Singh is believed to be sequestered now on a prison island with other drug convicts who are to face a firing squad in a matter of hours.

"Our officials have met Gurdip Singh and the embassy has asked the government of Indonesia to look at all legal options," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup, adding that Mr Singh has the right to appeal to the President of Indonesia for clemency.

So far, however, top Indonesian officials have defended the use of the death penalty for combating rising narcotics use and have rejected appeals from the UN and EU to halt the execution of the 14 convicts who include citizens of Nigeria, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe.

Family members say they have been told the convicts will be executed on Thursday night, according to a lawyer and diplomat.

Indonesia last carried out executions in April 2015 when it put to death eight drug convicts, including two Australians, sparking international outrage.