Indonesian Court Sentences Eight Iranians to Death for Drug Trafficking

An Indonesian court has sentenced eight Iranian drug traffickers to death for smuggling over 300 kilograms of crystal meth into the country. The judge ruled that they were guilty of intentionally committing a criminal act as intermediaries in the transaction of class 1 narcotics and ordered their execution by firing squad. The defendants have seven days to appeal the decision. Indonesia, known for its tough anti-drug laws, had not conducted executions for several years. The defendants were found trying to smuggle the drugs through the Indian Ocean to Java, the most populated island in Indonesia, before being caught at a port in Banten. This case follows previous instances where foreign traffickers have been executed for drug-related crimes, sparking diplomatic outrage and calls to abolish the death penalty.