United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed to Indonesia on Friday not to execute prisoners on death row for drug crimes, including citizens of Australia, Brazil, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria and the Philippines.
Indonesia has harsh penalties for drug trafficking and resumed executions in 2013 after a five-year gap. Five foreigners were among six people executed last month, the first executions since President Joko Widodo took office in October.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Ban had spoken with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday "to express his concern at the recent application of capital punishment in Indonesia."
Indonesia's Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo said this month that two Australians - Myuran Sukumaran, 33, and Andrew Chan, 31 - are among eight prisoners due to be executed after Widodo rejected their clemency pleas in January.
were executed by firing squad in January.
The case of the two Australian men threatens to strain already fragile relations between Australia and Indonesia.
Indonesia's foreign ministry spokesman said the death penalty was in accordance with Indonesian law and did not conflict with respect for human rights as governed by the constitution.
"Indonesia is of the view that drug crimes constitute most serious crimes that have indiscriminately made millions of victims suffer and caused many deaths."
Brazil and the Netherlands recalled their ambassadors in Indonesia, and Nigeria summoned Indonesia's ambassador in Abuja, after last month's executions.
One In Five Children Gets Exposed To Extreme Heat Globally, Says UN US Names Bald Eagle As National Bird, 200 Years After It Became Country's Symbol International Friendship Day 2024: Date, History and Significance Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing Bangladeshi Students On Alert, To Remain On Streets To Resist Chaos India's 78th Independence Day: A Tribute By Google Doodle "Full Of Negativity...": PM Slams Opposition In Independence Day Speech Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.