Australia says the five remaining members of the “Bali Nine” drug ring have returned home after nearly 20 years in an Indonesian prison.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on social media: “I am pleased to confirm that Australian citizens Si Yi Chen, Michael Czugaj, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush and Martin Stephens have returned to Australia this afternoon.
He thanked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto “for his sympathy”.
The high-profile case began in 2005 when Indonesia caught nine young Australians trying to smuggle 8.3kg (18lb) of heroin out of Bali.
Bali Nine members (clockwise from top left) Myuran Sukumaran, Scott Rush, Tach Duc Thanh Nguyen, Renae Lawrence, Andrew Chan, Matthew Norman, Michael Czugaj, Martin Stephen and Si Yi Chen (Getty Images)
It became world news when two of the group's top executives, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, executed by firing squad in 2015raising a dispute with Australia.
After his execution, Australia recalled its ambassador to Indonesia in protest of the deaths, but he returned to Jakarta five weeks later.
Others received life terms in prison.
The case highlighted Indonesia's strict drug laws, some of the toughest in the world.
One of the nine, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died of cancer in 2018. Soon after, Renae Lawrence, then 41, was sentenced after spending almost 13 years in prison .
The Australian government said of the five men's return: “The men will have the opportunity to continue their personal rehabilitation and reintegration in Australia.”
He expressed “deep gratitude” to Indonesia for allowing them to return home on humanitarian grounds.
It was not immediately clear whether the men will be required to continue serving their prison sentences in Australia under the terms of the agreement.
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