While social media users continue calling for a boycott on Bali, Virgin’s founder has penned an open letter to Indonesia’s president asking leniency for the Bali Nine boys.
The pitch for a ban on travel to Indonesia started last month following the decision to execute two Australian Bali Nine prisoners Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran for charges of drug trafficking.
Since, the Australian government and even Indonesian governors have urged President Joko Widodo to rethink the executions, which could take place this month.
In the letter Branson urged Indonesia’s president to reconsider the death penalty.
The two men have on last chance to see the decision revoked, in an appeal being considered in the State Administrative Court in Jakarta today.
However, in the meantime, Sir Richard Branson is hoping his membership on the Global Commission on Drug Policy could help save the two boys and other prisoners facing execution for drug charges.
In the open letter he said the Commossion finds the death penalty to be an ‘inhumane form of punishment’ that fails to deter crime.
Wrote to #Indonesia President Widodo calling for #Bali9, & all others facing execution, to be spared: http://t.co/boBMlUJ8rv
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) March 10, 2015
He said countries that still carry out executions for drug offences do not see a shift in supply and demand and that the drug trade ‘remains remarkably unaffected by the threat of capital punishment’.
“Mr. President, we hope you will consider our plea and spare those named above this ultimate and irreversible punishment. Granting clemency would be a humane and righteous act, and a first step towards sensible reform that could become a shining example for the entire Asian region.”
Sir Richard Branson
As we await for a response from the President, calls for Bali boycotts continue, but according to some industry groups they’re not affecting sales.
An Intrepid Travel spokesperson told KarryOn the operator has not experienced any cancellations for any Indonesia trips in recent months. They haven’t even received a letter of inquiry about the situation.
In terms of bookings, she said there hasn’t been a noticeable decline in bookings and they’re tracking in line with last year.
“So, based on this we aren’t expecting bookings for Indonesia/Bali to decline.”
Intrepid Travel spokesperson
A spokesperson from HotelsCombined.com also told KarryOn that hotel bookings to Indonesia actually jumped by 20 percent last month compared to the same period last year.
