Bali Nine prisoner Matthew Norman seen smiling ahead of imminent return to Australia after 20 years in Bali jail
One of the five remaining Bali Nine inmates, Matthew Norman, spoke to the media from Kerobokan Prison on Friday for the first time since their impending return to Australia was revealed.
Another of the surviving prisoners, Si-Yi Chen, was also seen busying himself in the prison workshop as members of IndonesiaThe House of Representatives toured the facility after the Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albaneserequest to transfer the men.
Indonesia’s new president, Prabowo Subianto, told a news conference that the draft deal had been submitted to the Australian government for internal review.
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“Bali Nine transfers are only a matter of time,” Subianto said.
Norman, who was jailed aged 18, is now 38 and married to a Balinese woman – he was caught speaking Indonesian to prison manager Cristio Nugrojo, laughing at jokes and smiling when he they ask about the transfer.
Nugroho told Norman that he spoke Indonesian “like a local”. Herald Sun reported.
“Matthew, how are you feeling,” he was asked.
“Okay,” Norman replied.
New information about the transfer was expected to be discussed at the facility, but no such details were disclosed on Friday.
The transfer is believed to take place this month.
The Bali Nine were found guilty of attempting to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin from Bali in 2005, and five members remain behind bars serving life sentences in Bali – Scott Rush, Matthew Norman, Si-Y Chen, Martin Stevens and Michael Chugai.
The ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed in 2015, sparking a diplomatic incident with Australia, while Renee Lawrence was freed in 2018 and Thanh Duc Thanh Nguyen died of cancer the same year.
Albanese personally pleaded on their behalf to Subianto on the sidelines of the ATIS summit in Peru, according to Australian Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones.
Prime ministers are negotiating a prisoner swap, with one condition being that the Bali Nine prisoners will have to serve the rest of their sentences in Australian prisons, Australia’s Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell told Sky News on Sunday.
But advocates believe the prisoners should be freed.
Townsville Bishop Tim Harris, who has been in contact with the Rush family for the past 19 years, has served “more than enough” time in prison but reiterated his disapproval of their actions two decades ago.
He said Rush’s parents were “desperately praying” their son would be released to Australia.
“I’m talking about humanity, and there’s a certain demand on other human beings to reach deep into our hearts at this point and say, ‘Look, that’s enough, let’s get these people home,'” Bishop Harris said.
– With AAP
