UK folk rockers Mumford and Sons have joined the likes of The Temper Trap, Megan Washington, Josh Pyke, Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil and many more artists appealing to the Indonesian government to grant clemency to Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran who are scheduled to face execution.
Taking to Facebook, Mumford & Sons directed their fans towards the Mercy Campaign – a movement appealing for clemency on behalf of Chan and Sukumaran who are facing imminent death by firing squad after they were convicted ten years ago for attempting to smuggle heroin out of Indonesia.
“There are moments when speaking up for something might seem hopeless, and it may seem a million miles away, but that what we say together might help,” reads the band’s statement.”We oppose capital punishment. We are asking for people around the world to advocate for the lives of these men.
Since their imprisonment they have dedicated their lives to the betterment of themselves and the lives of those around them. They deserve to be in prison, but they do not deserve to die. Help us fight for them to go on living.”
Mumford and Sons say they were made aware of the Mercy Campaign by their friend Dougy Mandagi of The Temper Trap, who has been a vocal supported for the pair, in particular Andrew Chan, for over a year now. Upon hearing the news of Chan and Sukumaran’s transfer to the Indonesian prison island earlier this year, Mandagi wrote that his “heart breaks for humanity”.
Earlier this year the Mercy Campaign held a concert and candlelit vigil as a “peaceful show of compassion for Myuran and Andrew and their families”. The campaign is appealing for people to show their support by signing the Mercy Campaign petition.
Other musicians who have advocated for clemency on behalf of Chan and Sukumaran include Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, who penned a direct letter of appeal to the Indonesian President Joko Widodo, as well as Napalm Death frontman Mark Greenway, who also appealed for mercy for the two Australians earlier this year. Widodo has previously stated that he is a fan of Napalm Death as well as other heavy metal acts.
Yesterday Chan and Sukumaran lost an appeal in the State Administrative Court of Jakarta but their lawyers have vowed to keep fighting for clemency and will this week take action in the Indonesian constitutional court.
Watch: I Stand For Mercy
We would like to draw your attention to a campaign called “Mercy Campaign”. Its aim is to help two Australian inmates in…
Posted by Mumford and Sons on Sunday, 5 April 2015
