Lindsay Sandiford, the British grandmother from Teesside who has spent more than a decade on Indonesia’s death row after being caught smuggling cocaine into Bali, is to be repatriated to the United Kingdom on humanitarian grounds. The 69-year-old, originally from Redcar, was arrested in May 2012 at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali upon arrival from Bangkok. Indonesian customs officers discovered 4.8kg of cocaine – valued at around £1.6 million – concealed in the lining of her suitcase.
Sandiford, then 56, admitted the offence but claimed she had been coerced by an international drug syndicate that threatened her son’s life if she refused. Her cooperation with authorities led to the arrest of other suspects in the ring, who prosecutors alleged imported narcotics from Peru, Colombia, India, and Thailand for export to markets including Amsterdam, Australia, and Japan.
In January 2013, a Bali court sentenced her to death by firing squad – a surprising outcome despite prosecutors asking for a 15-year jail term. Her appeal was rejected later that year, after which she experienced severe depression. She has spent the intervening 12 years in Kerobokan Prison, Bali’s high-security facility, where she has battled severe health issues, including diabetes and hypertension.
On Tuesday, Indonesia and the UK governments signed an agreement in Jakarta allowing Sandiford’s transfer to British custody, where she will complete her sentence. The deal, signed by Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, also covers a second British national, 35-year-old Shahab Shahabadi.
Shahabadi has been serving a life sentence at Kembangkuning Prison on Nusakambangan Island since his 2014 arrest on narcotics trafficking charges and suffers from severe skin conditions and mental health problems.
The repatriation aligns with Indonesia’s human rights commitments for ill foreign inmates. Mr Mahendra said at a press briefing following the signing: “Indonesia values international cooperation rooted in humanity, especially for foreign nationals who are seriously ill while serving their sentences.
“Lindsay is old and sick. In prison, she had good behaviour, so that was enough reason to satisfy the request from the United Kingdom government that she be returned home and complete her sentence there.”
Confirming the practical arrangements, Mr Mahendra added: “We just signed the practical arrangement between the Indonesian and UK government … regarding the transfer of two UK citizens: Lindsay June Sandiford and Shahab Shahabadi. We agreed to grant the transfers of the prisoners to the UK.”
An Indonesian government source noted: “The practical arrangement will be signed today. The transfer will be done immediately after the technical side of the transfer is agreed.”
British Embassy officials in Jakarta are now coordinating logistics, including medical assessments and document verification. Sandiford and Shahabadi could be handed over within two weeks, pending final technical details.
Indonesia has executed several drug offenders since her sentencing but has imposed no death penalties since 2016. Her return marks a rare diplomatic success in prisoner transfers, underlining strengthened bilateral ties on human rights.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has been approached for comment.
