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H.E. Joko Widodo
President of the Republic of Indonesia
I write to you on behalf of the World Council of Churches, a global fellowship of over 345 member churches in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 500 million people of faith.
I join the many others around the world who have appealed to you for clemency for the death row prisoners scheduled to be executed imminently: Andrew Chan, Myuran Sukumaran, Raheem Agbaje Salami, Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, Zainal Abidin, Martin Anderson (alias Belo), Rodrigo Gularte, Sylvester Obiekwe Nwolise (alias Mustafa), Okwudili Oyatanze, and Serge Areski Atlaoui. Despite the crimes of which they have been convicted, these sisters and brothers are all children of God, created in God’s own image.
I support this appeal out of respect for the precious unique value of every human life, and for the God-given dignity of every human being – even those who have committed serious crimes against their fellow human beings and against society.
Some 140 countries have now abolished the death penalty completely in law or practice. Your country’s decision to resume executions sets Indonesia against the global trend towards abolition of the death penalty.
I therefore respectfully ask you to establish an immediate moratorium on all executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty and joining this emerging global consensus.
Please give this appeal your personal, urgent and prayerful consideration.
Yours most sincerely,
Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
WCC general secretary
