International leaders condemn Indonesian executions

The UN's secretary-general has spoken out against the execution of eight drug convicts in Indonesia, saying the death penalty had "no place" in the 21st century.

Despite a number of appeals and international outrage, the country's government executed seven foreigners - including the two Australian ringleaders of the smuggling group known as the 'Bali Nine' - and one Indonesian national by firing squad yesterday.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq, on behalf of Ban Ki-moon, said:

Indonesian Attorney General Muhammad Prasety has confirmed that the country has executed eight convicted drug convicts.

Prasety told a news conference that each had been executed on Wednesday by a 13-member firing squad.

Earlier he said a woman from the Philippines had been granted a stay of execution.

The families of two Australians executed in Indonesia have thanked people for their support and said the two men had done all they could to make amends after being convicted of drug offences.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by firing squad in Indonesia, prompting Australia to recall its ambassador from Jakarta in protest.

Their families released a brief statement that said they were grateful for the support they had received.

In a brief statement, the families of the two men said: "Today we lost Myuran and Andrew. Our sons, our brothers.

"In the 10 years since they were arrested, they did all they could to make amends, helping many others.

"They asked for mercy, but there was none. They were immensely grateful for all the support they received. We too, will be forever grateful."

Brazil's deputy foreign minster has said the country is evaluating its ties with Indonesia after eight drug convicts, including a Brazilian, were executed in the country.

Sergio Franca Danese said: "Given the lack of a satisfactory reply to our appeals, this has to be evaluated to decide what attitude we will adopt towards Indonesia from now on."

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said he is recalling the nation's ambassador to Indonesia in protest against the execution of two Australian drug smugglers.

"We respect Indonesia's sovereignty but we do deplore what's been done and this cannot be simply business as usual, Abbott said.

"I want to stress that this is a very important relationship between Australia and Indonesia but it has suffered as a result of what's been done over the last few hours."

Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were executed by firing squad along with six other drug convicts from several countries shortly after midnight on Wednesday.

Ambassador Paul Gibson will return to Australia at the end of the week, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said.

Diplomats and families tried everything they could up to the very last minute to stop the executions of eight drug convicts in Indonesia.

But the boat carrying the heavily armed officers, believed to be the firing squad, had already arrived and they had orders to follow.

The executed prisoners included two Australians, three Nigerians, an Indonesian, a Brazilian and a Ghanaian who were told of their fate on Saturday.

One of the group, Filipina Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, was given a last minute reprieve.

ITV News correspondent Neil Connery reports:

Activists who held an overnight vigil outside the Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines cheered with joy after learning that the execution of a Filipina death row prisoner had been delayed at the eleventh hour.

A spokesperson for the Attorney General in Indonesia confirmed that the execution of Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, a mother of two who was arrested in 2010 after she arrived in Indonesia with 2.6 kg of heroin hidden in her suitcase, had been postponed.

The Philippine president had informed Indonesia that a person suspected of recruiting Veloso had surrendered to police, the spokesman added.

Eight drug-trafficking convicts from several countries were executed by an Indonesian firing squad shortly after midnight (6PM GMT) local media reported.

The execution of a Filipina drug convict by an Indonesian firing squad was delayed at the last minute after one of her recruiters surrendered to police in the Philippines.

The attorney general's office confirmed that the execution of Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, the only female convict in the 'Bali Nine', had been postponed.

Eight of the nine prisoners held for drugs offences in Indonesia were executed moments ago by firing squad, according to local media reports.

Earlier today, families of the convicts said their goodbyes and begged President Joko Widodo for clemency.

It has been reported that eight prisoners - from Indonesia, Australia, Brazil, Nigeria and Ghana - have been executed and a female from the Philippines has been reprieved.

ITV News correspondent Neil Connery reports.

Eight drug convicts were executed by an Indonesian firing squad today with an unexpected reprieve for a Filipina inmate.

The eight were Indonesian Zainal Abidin, Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte, Nigerians Sylvester Obiekwe Nwolise, Raheem Agbaje Salami and Okwudili Oyatanze and Ghanaian Martin Anderson.

Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso of the Philippines was spared, local media reported.

The Jakarta Post reported that the Attorney General's Office confirmed the executions had taken place.