Frenchman on Indonesia death row for years released from Paris prison
Serge Atlaoui is greeted by his lawyer Richard Sedillot as he leaves prison on conditional release.
PARIS – A Frenchman who spent almost two decades on death row in Indonesia over drug offences before being returned to France left prison on July 18 after being granted a conditional release.
Serge Atlaoui, a 61-year-old welder from Metz in eastern France, was
flown back to France in February after being on death row in Indonesia since 2007.
He was greeted by his lawyer, Mr Richard Sedillot, as he walked out of the gate of Meaux prison near Paris, wearing a white T-shirt and grey trousers.
'He will be able to breathe the freedom that he waited for for all these years,' his wife, Ms Sabine Atlaoui, told RTL broadcaster shortly before his release, which she called 'unbelievable'.
She has not yet 'fully realised' that her husband 'is back and will be with us again every day', she said.
The father of four had his sentence adapted by the French courts to 30 years' imprisonment and then was approved for conditional release.
'The story of Serge Atlaoui, who was sentenced to death, is a life lesson,' Mr Sedillot said. 'His resilience, his courage, his patience and his humanity are lessons for all of us.'
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore 30% of aviation jobs could be redesigned due to AI, automation; $200m fund to support workers: CAAS
Singapore HSA looking to get anti-vape cyber surveillance tool with AI capabilities
Singapore Alleged Kpod peddler filmed trying to flee raid in Bishan charged with 6 offences
Singapore NTU upholds zero grade for student who used AI in essay; panel found 14 false citations or data
Singapore Character counts as much as grades: Desmond Lee tells students after a class on race and culture
Singapore Residents in South West District get help to improve employability, find career opportunities
Life Kinokuniya opens third bookstore at Raffles City, weeks ahead of schedule
Business DBS shares rally to a new record as STI clocks yet another high
Diplomatic pressure
Atlaoui was arrested in 2005 at a factory in a Jakarta suburb where dozens of kilogrammes of drugs were discovered, and accused of being a 'chemist' by the authorities.
He has always denied being a drug trafficker, saying he was installing machinery in what he thought was an acrylic factory.
Initially sentenced to life in prison, he had his sentence reviewed by Indonesia's Supreme Court and changed to death on appeal.
He was due to be executed alongside eight others in 2015 but was granted a reprieve after Paris applied pressure and the Indonesian authorities allowed an outstanding appeal to proceed.
Atlaoui's case attracted attention in Indonesia and in France, where supporters saw him as a symbol of the fight against the death penalty.
France abolished capital punishment in 1981.
Pressure applied by the French government was key to her husband's release, Ms Atlaoui said.
'It's very clear that diplomatic efforts during all those years allowed my husband to return,' she said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 20, 2025
Mourners react next to a body at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, on July 19. At least 36 killed by Israeli fire while seeking aid in Gaza At least 36 people were killed by Israeli fire while they were on their way to an aid distribution site in Gaza at dawn on July 19, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots at suspects who approached its troops after they did not heed calls to stop, about a kilometre away from an aid distribution site that was not active at the time. Gaza resident Mohammed al-Khalidi said he was in the group approaching the site and heard no warnings before the firing began. "We thought they came out to organise us so we can get aid, suddenly (I) saw the jeeps coming from one side, and the tanks from the other and started shooting at us," he said. READ MORE HERE Druze regain control of Sweida city after Syria announces ceasefire Druze fighters pushed out rival armed factions from Syria's southern city of Sweida on July 19, a monitor said, after the government ordered a ceasefire following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention. Fighting nonetheless persisted in other parts of Sweida province, even as the Druze regained control of their city following days of fierce battle with armed Bedouin supported by tribal gunmen from other parts of Syria. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tampines regional centre set to get more homes, offices and public amenities Singapore AI system developed in Singapore could help predict liver cancer recurrence Life US tech CEO in viral Coldplay 'kiss cam' video resigns Asia From toy to threat: 'Killer kites' bring chaos to Indonesian airspace Opinion I thought I was a 'chill' parent. Then came P1 registration Singapore 'God and government are the only things beyond our control,' says Group CEO Business Me and My Money: He overcomes a $100k setback to build a thriving online tuition business Asia At least 34 killed as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Halong Bay The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said that 'tribal fighters withdrew from Sweida city on Saturday evening' after Druze fighters launched a large-scale attack. READ MORE HERE South Korea pulls plane crash report after victims' families protest PHOTO: CHANG W. LEE/NYTIMES South Korean officials on July 19 abruptly cancelled the release of an intermediate report into the deadly crash of a Jeju Air passenger jet, after relatives of the victims disrupted a news conference, saying that the report was inadequate. The confrontational scene unfolded after officials had earlier briefed the families privately on the latest stage of the investigation. The officials were planning to publicly release some findings from an analysis of the engines on the Boeing 737-800 that crashed Dec 29, killing 179 of the 181 people on board. A lawyer for the relatives, who saw the officials' presentation in the private meeting, said the investigators had found no fault with the engines and instead appeared to blame birds – which struck the engines minutes before it made an emergency landing – and the plane's pilots prematurely. READ MORE HERE Ukraine proposes fresh peace talks with Russia next week PHOTO: AFP Kyiv has proposed to Moscow a new round of peace talks next week, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 19, hours after Russian strikes across Ukraine claimed more lives. Two rounds of talks in Istanbul between Moscow and Kyiv have failed to result in any progress towards a ceasefire, instead yielding large-scale prisoner exchanges and deals to return the bodies of killed soldiers. 'Security Council Secretary Umerov also reported that he had proposed the next meeting with the Russian side for next week,' Mr Zelensky said in his evening address. 'The momentum of the negotiations must be stepped up,' he added. READ MORE HERE Olympic champion Zheng pauses WTA Tour after elbow surgery Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen said on July 19 she would take a short break from the WTA Tour after undergoing elbow surgery. The 22-year-old Chinese player was eliminated from this year's Wimbledon tournament in the first round by Czech Katerina Siniakova earlier in July. "Now begins the recovery journey," she wrote on Instagram. "Over the next few weeks and months, I'll be focusing entirely on rehab — doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier."
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Kites are causing problems near Indonesia's main airport
Find out what's new on ST website and app. People seen flying kites at a paddy field which is located within 15km of Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta international airport's flight operations safety area, a strictly controlled red zone. – From a distance, they looked like harmless black specks dancing in the sky. But for aviation security, they were a red alert. On a quiet afternoon in Neglasari, a sub-district just kilometres from Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, a patrol team sprang into action. Its target? Kites. Four uniformed officers stepped out of an open-backed truck and fanned out across a cemetery. They scanned the sky for rogue kites – and the ground, for the children flying them. Leading the operation was Mr Ito Sucipto, the sub-district's head of public security and order. His mission was simple: Stop the kites before they went anywhere near a plane. That day, three boys aged between 12 and 16 ran down narrow alleys as the patrol closed in. A homemade reel lay abandoned between gravestones. Overhead, a kite flailed in the wind. Not far away, a commercial plane began its descent. 'Stop, stop! Do not run, come back!' Mr Ito shouted. 'That kite could bring down a plane.' One officer grabbed the string. Another reeled it in. The kite vanished into the patrol vehicle – one of a handful confiscated in recent weeks. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Mindef, SAF units among those dealing with attack on S'pore's critical information infrastructure Asia How China's growing cyber-hacking capabilities have raised alarm around the world Asia At least 34 killed as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Halong Bay Singapore 1 dead, 1 injured after dispute between neighbours at Yishun HDB block Singapore Vessels from Navy, SCDF and MPA to debut at Marina Bay in NDP maritime display Asia Autogate glitch at Malaysia's major checkpoints causes chaos for S'porean and foreign travellers Asia SIA, Scoot, Cathay Pacific cancel flights as typhoon nears Hong Kong Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore It is a familiar scene in one of Indonesia's most unusual crackdowns, on an airborne threat hiding in plain sight. Kite flying is a popular pastime in the country, but kites flown in restricted aviation zones have been a menace for years and is one that is hard to cut out completely. Patrols were ramped up in Jakarta after kite-flying surged during the school holidays from June 28 to July 12, causing chaos in the skies. Between July 4 and 6 alone, 21 flights were disrupted: nine were diverted, six had landings aborted, five cancelled approaches and one aircraft turned back. All were blamed on kites. Every case occurred within the Flight Operations Safety Area, or KKOP, a strictly controlled red zone covering Neglasari and districts within a 15km radius of the Jakarta airport. On July 7, AirNav Indonesia, which manages the country's air traffic control, issued a Notam – a Notice to Airmen – warning of the danger. 'We regret that today there are still people who ignore advisories to stop flying kites around the airport area,' said the AirNav president director, Captain Avirianto Suratno, in a statement. 'We sincerely ask the public, especially those near the airport, to stop flying kites. Because it is extremely dangerous and severely threatens the safety of aircraft and the lives of their passengers,' he added. From toy to threat In Indonesia, kite-flying is more than a hobby. In places like Bali, it is a sacred ritual – a way to thank the gods and pray for good harvests. Some fly kites to make a statement. 'Residents flew kites intentionally to pressure the local government – demanding things like sports fields,' aviation analyst Alvin Lie told The Straits Times. 'If ignored, they flew them at night with lights, tied them down, and walked away.' Children learn to make their own kites from bamboo and coloured paper. Others buy them at roadside stalls for as little as 1,000 rupiah (about eight Singapore cents). But the risks go far beyond mischief. Led by Mr Ito Sucipto (wearing cap), officers from Neglasari subdistrict's public security order look for rogue kites and counsel children caught flying them near Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta international airport. ST PHOTO: ARLINA ARSHAD Between May and July 2020, seven Garuda Indonesia flights were affected by stray kites. In one alarming case, strings and bamboo sticks became tangled in a plane's propeller. The carrier reportedly spent about US$4,000 (S$5,100) on inspections and repairs. On Oct 23, 2020, a Citilink ATR 72-600 hit a kite while landing in Yogyakarta. The remains latched onto the landing gear. The twin-turboprop passenger plane landed safely, but officials warned the outcome could have been catastrophic had the kite struck a propeller or been sucked into an engine. On July 19, 2024, a Bell 505 helicopter crashed in Bali after its rotors sliced into kite strings. The pilot, a crew member, an Indonesian passenger, and two Australian tourists survived, but two of them were seriously injured. Flying kites, drones or any aerial object in restricted airspace is illegal under Indonesia's 2009 Aviation Law. Offenders face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to one billion rupiah (S$79,000). The danger is not limited to the skies: Kites can injure – or kill – on the ground. 'Kite strings have caught on utility poles and power lines, causing short circuits that spark fires and blackouts,' Mr Ito said. They have also become a silent killer on roads. 'There was a case where a five-year-old died and a father nearly lost his hand because of kite strings. They were riding a motorcycle and the string got tangled and acted like a blade, cutting deep into the flesh,' he added. The aerial threat is worsened by drones and laser pointers that beam blinding lights at aircraft – especially at night. 'Anything that enters restricted airspace can be dangerous,' Mr Ito said. 'And we cannot take that risk.' Worries and warnings Still, the skies over Jakarta show little sign of clearing – even with daily patrols sweeping backyards, paddy fields and cemeteries. A check by ST over two evenings in Tangerang – where Soekarno-Hatta is located – found kites flying openly in several areas, mostly launched by children. Some flew small paper kites; others handled larger ones that soared higher and drifted farther. A wire fence is all that separates densely packed kampungs from the airport's runways. Steady winds make the area ideal for kite-flying – and dangerously close to protected airspace. On the ground, Mr Ito keeps coaxing. He does not scold or shout. Instead, he gathers children, explains the risks, and sometimes quizzes them, hoping that the message will stick. 'We prioritise persuasion,' he said. 'Children are scared just by being warned. We involve parents to help guide and educate.' Flying kites, drones or any aerial object in restricted airspace is illegal under Indonesia's 2009 Aviation Law. ST PHOTOS: ARLINA ARSHAD Mr Madil, a 42-year-old odd-job labourer who goes by one name, told the patrol officers: 'I promise my nephews will not fly kites in the cemetery again. If you catch them again, you can rip their faces off.' At a rice field in Benda – another red zone sub-district – airport porter Ahmad, also 42, was flying a kite with his son. 'Yes, we know the danger, so we are cautious,' he told ST. 'Like today, the wind is blowing the other way, away from the airport, so we come out to play.' Many residents say they simply have little else to do. Mr Herman, 55, said: 'There should not be an outright ban. Do we ban the planes that are making us go deaf and disrupting our TV and phone signals? If there were alternative activities for the children, surely they would go for that. But there is not.' Despite the incidents and tighter rules, kites are still being flown, though in fewer numbers. Mr Lie said the lack of lasting change stems from weak enforcement and patchy public education. 'There has never been a comprehensive campaign that is integrated and repeated every year. The village heads change, the sub-district chiefs change, the police chiefs change – there is no ongoing campaign,' he added. And so the cycle continues. 'What happens is after an incident, (a public concern) heats up like anget-anget ayam – warm chicken – and then people quickly forget again,' he added. The Indonesian phrase captures a deeper challenge: a public concern flares briefly, only to fade fast. Taming the kites remains a major hurdle in the push for long-term aviation safety in Indonesia.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
US races to build migrant tent camps after $58 billion funding boost: Report
Find out what's new on ST website and app. US President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visit a temporary migrant detention center informally known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in Ochopee, Florida. WASHINGTON - US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is racing to build migrant tent camps nationwide after receiving US$45 billion (S$58 billion) in new funding, aiming to expand detention capacity from 40,000 to 100,000 beds by year-end, The Wall Street Journal reported on July 19. The agency is prioritising large-scale tent facilities at military bases and ICE jails, including a 5,000-bed site at Fort Bliss in Texas and others in Colorado, Indiana, and New Jersey, the report added, citing documents seen by WSJ. "ICE is pursuing all available options to expand bedspace capacity," a senior ICE official told Reuters, adding that the "process does include housing detainees at certain military bases." Top US officials at Homeland Security, including US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have expressed a preference for detention centres run by Republican states and local governments rather than private prison companies, the report said. The agency declined to confirm the specifics of the plan to expand detention capacity. Ms Noem said last week that she was in talks with five Republican-led states to build other detention sites inspired by the 'Alligator Alcatraz' facility in Florida. "We've had several other states that are actually using Alligator Alcatraz as a model for how they can partner with us," Ms Noem told a press conference in Florida without naming any of the states. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Mindef, SAF units among those dealing with attack on S'pore's critical information infrastructure Asia How China's growing cyber-hacking capabilities have raised alarm around the world Asia At least 34 killed as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Halong Bay Singapore 1 dead, 1 injured after dispute between neighbours at Yishun HDB block Singapore Vessels from Navy, SCDF and MPA to debut at Marina Bay in NDP maritime display Asia Autogate glitch at Malaysia's major checkpoints causes chaos for S'porean and foreign travellers Asia SIA, Scoot, Cathay Pacific cancel flights as typhoon nears Hong Kong Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore
