Indonesia to resume executions as it steps up "war on drugs"

JAKARTA - Indonesia said on Thursday it will resume executions of drug traffickers this year, after a brief hiatus since last year's controversial executions of mostly foreign convicts.

Attorney General H.M. Prasetyo told reporters "more than one" person would be executed for drug offences this year and foreigners were also on the list. "We will not stop. We will step up the war on drugs,"Prasetyo said.

He declined to name the nationalities of the convicts on death row.

Indonesia executed 14 convicts, including nationals of Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands and Nigeria, by firing squad last year despite repeated pleas for mercy from foreign governments and international organisations and activists.

Amid international outrage, Indonesia postponed other scheduled executions. Officials said it was so the government could focus on reviving a flagging economy.