British Grandmother Lindsay Sandiford Leaves Death Row in Indonesia
On November 6, 2025, two British drug convicts, including grandmother Lindsay Sandiford, were released from a Bali prison as part of a repatriation agreement, according to an Indonesian ministry official.
Background on Sentencing
Sandiford was sentenced to death on Bali in 2013 after she was convicted of trafficking drugs. Indonesia is known for having some of the harshest drug laws globally but has recently released several high-profile detainees, including a Filipina mother on death row.
Details of the Convicts
- Lindsay Sandiford, 69, convicted in 2013 for drug trafficking on the tourist island of Bali.
- Shahab Shahabadi, 36, serving a life sentence since 2014 for drug offenses.
Both were transferred from prison to the airport for repatriation, confirmed I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram of the Law and Human Rights Ministry.
Case Summary
Sandiford was arrested in 2012 after Bali Customs officers discovered cocaine worth an estimated US$2.14 million hidden in a false suitcase compartment. She admitted her involvement but stated she transported the drugs under threat to her son's life from a drug syndicate.
Lindsay Sandiford admitted the offences but said she had agreed to carry the narcotics after a drug syndicate threatened to kill her son.
Author's summary: Lindsay Sandiford, sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Bali, was repatriated to the UK in 2025 amid Indonesia's recent trend of releasing foreign high-profile drug convicts.