7 Apr 2015

Bali Nine duo's lawyer vows to keep fighting

7:40 am on 7 April 2015

A further legal challenge by two Australians facing execution is just an attempt to buy more time alive, Indonesia's attorney-general says.

Australian's Myuran Sukumaran, left, and Andrew Chan are on death row in Indonesia.

Australian's Myuran Sukumaran, left, and Andrew Chan are on death row in Indonesia. Photo: AFP

Muhammad Prasetyo has welcomed a Jakarta court's decision to deny Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran the chance to appeal their death sentences by challenging the president's refusal to consider clemency.

Chan and Sukumaran had argued that Joko Widodo did not give proper consideration to their pleas for clemency.

"It was an unusual legal effort, so what has been decided by the State Administration Court was a right [decision]," Mr Prasetyo said.

Chan and Sukumaran's lawyers have vowed to launch a constitutional court challenge next.

"This, I feel ... is proof that they intend to buy time only, by playing with our law," Mr Prasetyo said.

"I think this is enough, I am saying this is enough - the legal process has been done."

The attorney-general said the two convicted drug smugglers had now exhausted all legal avenues, a view shared by the head of the state's legal team.

'We're going to keep fighting'

Peter Morrissey SC, who is part of Chan and Sukumaran's team of lawyers, has rejected the idea of buying time.

"We should be as clear as we can about this: this is not some delaying tactic or playing games with the courts," he told ABC's Lateline.

"No matter what our opponents might like to say or how they'd like to get around it, this is litigation."

He said the pair may not hear the result of the latest verdict until Tuesday, citing their location on Nusakambangan Island as the reason for the delay.

He said they would be disappointed with the result, but were resilient and in good spirits.

"Of course it's a pretty stressful situation. They will be disappointed when they're told of the result," he said.

"They're resilient. They take blows like this all the time and they remain lovely people ... they are good, strong people.

"They know that there was a chance of winning and a chance of losing ... they're also aware that we're going to keep fighting," he said.

- ABC

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