UN human rights office calls Indonesia executions 'incomprehensible'

BERLIN – The U.N. human rights office has criticized Indonesia's decision to execute eight people convicted of drug smuggling.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights says Indonesia asks for clemency for its own nationals facing execution in other countries, "so it is incomprehensible why it absolutely refuses to grant clemency for lesser crimes on its own territory."

A spokesman for the Geneva-based body, Rupert Colville, said in a statement Wednesday that "it is extremely regrettable, extremely sad that these people have been deprived of their lives."

He said that international law only permits the death penalty for the most serious crimes such as murder.

Two Australians, four Nigerians, a Brazilian and an Indonesian man were executed simultaneously at 12:35 a.m. Tuesday by a 13-member firing squad.