JAKARTA, Indonesia — An Indonesian court rejected on Monday an appeal against President Joko Widodo's decision not to grant clemency to two death-row Australian drug convicts.
Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were convicted in 2005 as the ringleaders of the so-called "Bali Nine," who were arrested at Denpasar airport for trying to smuggle 18 pounds of heroin to Australia.
The attorney general's office has said there were no further legal avenues to avoid the death penalty after Monday's decision.
However, a lawyer for the Australians said on Monday he will file a legal challenge to the Indonesian Constitutional Court in the hopes of delaying their execution.
"We will continue our legal efforts," lawyer Leonard Arpan told reporters shortly after Monday's decision.
The planned executions of Sukumaran, 33, and Chan, 31, have ratcheted up diplomatic tensions between Australia and Indonesia following repeated pleas for mercy on their behalf.
The pair are among a group of 10 drug convicts due to be executed by firing squad at the prison island of Nusakambangan. Others in the group include citizens of France, Brazil, the Philippines, Ghana, Nigeria and Indonesia.
IN-DEPTH
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