[JURIST] The Indonesian Constitutional Court [official website, in Indonesian] has agreed to hear a last minute appeal by two condemned drug smugglers known as the “Bali Nine Pair” [ABC profile]. The pair’s legal representative said [Daily Mail report] Monday that the court has agreed to hear the appeal. The pair had been due to face death by firing squad Wednesday after being convicted of trying to smuggle a large amount of cocaine into Australia.Indonesian President Joko Widodo [BBC profile] has denied clemency. It is unclear whether Wednesday’s scheduled execution will now be delayed.

Indonesia has been under international scrutiny over its use of the death penalty. Earlier this month an Indonesian court rejected [JURIST report] the Bali Nine Pair’s appeal. In February a spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website] urged [JURIST report] the Indonesian government to halt all executions of people convicted of drug-related offenses. In January another spokesperson for the OHCHR voiced concern [JURIST report] over the continued use of the death penalty in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The OHCHR reported that eight more people convicted of drug trafficking in Vietnam had been sentenced to death. Also in January Brazil and the Netherlands recalled [JURIST report] their ambassadors from Indonesia after an Indonesian firing squad executed six convicted drug traffickers [JURIST report], sparking international condemnation from human rights groups and foreign leaders.