In a significant diplomatic development, Indonesia and the Netherlands have formalized an agreement facilitating the repatriation of two elderly Dutch nationals incarcerated for drug-related offenses. The arrangement, signed on Tuesday in Jakarta, underscores a growing pattern of humanitarian transfers from Indonesia’s penal system.
Seventy-four-year-old Siegfried Mets, who faced execution following his 2008 conviction for smuggling 600,000 ecstasy tablets, and 65-year-old Ali Tokman, originally sentenced to death in 2015 for trafficking 6kg of MDMA before receiving life imprisonment, will be transferred to Dutch custody. Both individuals have been experiencing deteriorating health conditions, which formed the central justification for their transfer.
The signing ceremony featured virtual participation from Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel, while Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Law and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra represented the host nation. Marc Gerritsen, Netherlands Ambassador to Indonesia, expressed profound gratitude for Indonesia’s decision to allow the prisoners to spend their remaining years nearer to family members.
Indonesian authorities confirmed the prisoners’ scheduled departure to Amsterdam on December 8, with their future legal status now falling under Dutch jurisdiction. This transfer follows Indonesia’s October approval of the repatriation request, which the Dutch government formally submitted citing compelling humanitarian considerations.
This case represents part of a broader trend wherein Indonesia has permitted the return of foreign nationals convicted of serious drug crimes. Recent months have seen similar repatriations involving British and French citizens, including 69-year-old Lindsay Sandiford, whose death sentence in Bali garnered international attention, and Serge Atlaoui, returned to France in February after nearly two decades on death row.
According to Indonesia’s Law Ministry, approximately 500 prisoners currently await execution nationwide, with drug offenses constituting a substantial proportion of capital cases. The repatriation agreement specifically addresses two of the five Dutch citizens serving criminal sentences in Indonesian facilities.