Overview
- Five remaining members of the Bali Nine, convicted in 2005 for heroin smuggling, may return to Australia to serve their life sentences under a potential prisoner transfer deal.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised the issue with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during the APEC Summit in Peru, with a decision expected as early as December.
- Indonesian officials have cited humanitarian grounds for the potential transfer, though critics in Indonesia argue it could undermine the country's sovereignty.
- The Australian government has confirmed ongoing discussions but has not disclosed detailed terms of the agreement, leading to calls for transparency from opposition leaders.
- The Bali Nine case has long been a point of tension between Australia and Indonesia, particularly following the 2015 executions of ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.