Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

COURT-GAVEL

Agence France-Presse

<div><br/></div><p>PARIS, France — A Frenchman who spent almost two decades on death row in Indonesia over drug offenses before being returned to France, has been granted a conditional release, prosecutors said Tuesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/10/mary-jane-veloso-spends-40th-birthday-in-jail-lawyers-ask-for-her-freedom-0957">Mary Jane Veloso spends 40th birthday in jail; lawyers ask for her freedom</a></div><p>Serge Atlaoui, a 61-year-old welder from Metz, was flown back to France in February after being on death row in Indonesia since 2007.</p><p>The father of four, currently incarcerated near Paris, had his sentence adapted by the French courts to 30 years imprisonment.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/4/-parang-awa-niyo-na-veloso-family-supporters-renew-call-for-marcos-clemency-1539">&#x27;Parang awa niyo na&#x27;: Veloso family, supporters renew call for Marcos clemency</a></div><p>Atlaoui has been approved for conditional release on July 18, the prosecutor&#x27;s office in Meaux said in a statement, adding that it is subject to follow-up obligations.</p><p>&quot;It has been a very long battle, there was no question of me giving up at any moment. This is a very great moment for me today, and it will be for him as soon as he is released,&quot; his lawyer Richard Sedillot told AFP.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/26/migrant-group-pushes-for-mary-jane-veloso-s-release-with-call-for-clemency-0040">Migrant group pushes for Mary Jane Veloso’s release with call for clemency</a></div><p>Atlaoui was arrested in 2005 at a factory in a Jakarta suburb where dozens of kilos (pounds) of drugs were discovered and accused of being a &quot;chemist&quot; by the authorities.</p><p>He has always denied being a drug trafficker, saying that he was installing machinery in what he thought was an acrylic factory.</p><p>Initially sentenced to life in prison, his sentence was reviewed by the Indonesia&#x27;s supreme court and changed to death on appeal.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/17/mary-jane-veloso-arrives-in-ph-after-14-year-imprisonment-in-indonesia-0601">Mary Jane Veloso arrives in PH after 14-year imprisonment in Indonesia</a></div><p>He was due to be executed alongside eight others in 2015, but was granted a reprieve after Paris applied pressure and the Indonesian authorities allowed an outstanding appeal to proceed.</p><p>Indonesia, which has some of the world&#x27;s toughest drug laws, has recently released several high-profile detainees, including a Filipina mother on death row and the last five members of the so-called &quot;Bali Nine&quot; drug ring.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t54KdjlvDkw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The 61-year-old was flown back to France in February after being on death row in Indonesia since 2007. O<i>n July 18, the government</i> approved his conditional release.</p>

The 61-year-old was flown back to France in February after being on death row in Indonesia since 2007. O n July 18, the government approved his conditional release.

Frenchman given conditional release after years on Indonesia death row

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Frenchman given conditional release after years on Indonesia death row

Agence France-Presse

Published Jul 16, 2025 01:07 PM PHT

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Indonesia

death row. drugs

crime

Paris

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diplomacy

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Mary Jane Veloso

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