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Australia lodge complaint over ‘happy snaps’

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Australia has lodged an official complaint with the Indonesian government over photos of the Denpasar police chief posing with condemned Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

The photos have been published in local and international media of Commissioner Djoko Hari Utomo on the flight with the pair from Kerobokan prison in Bali to Central Java.

However, the Senior Commissioner told Fairfax he was trying to raise the spirits of the Australians and had no idea the photo was being taken.

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“It was not a selfie moment,” he said.

He said he was patting the men’s shoulders and urging them to “Be tough, be strong, and keep going”.

It is understood the Indonesian ambassador is in Perth and will be phoned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The photographs, which were presumably given to the media outlets by police, feature the grinning police chief with Chan in the aisle of the plane travelling from Bali to Cilacap on Wednesday, Fairfax reports.

His arm is loosely draped around Chan’s shoulder as if they were posing for a holiday happy snap.

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Myuran Sukumaran with the police chief, as they head towards ‘execution’ island. Photo: Twitter

Sukumaran is also photographed talking to the police chief.

“It is unclear what they are talking about,” News outlet Tribunnews.com says.

The fact that staged photos were leaked to media outlets is paradoxical given the tight security at Cilacap airport.

The airport was in lockdown for the arrival of the men on a Wings Air flight and armed Brimob and police officers patrolled the perimeter fences in the jungle to stop journalists taking photos of the men’s arrival.

Liberal MP Philip Ruddock expressed his disappointment in the photos.

“Obviously each of them were, in their own ways, very concerned and to have a smiling police officer photographed, either with a hand on the shoulder or endeavouring to engage them in conversation, I think is unfortunate,” he said.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop earlier described her shock at seeing the show of force used to transport the Australians from Kerobokan prison to Nusakambangan island.

“I just cannot comprehend it. They are two men who are described by their own prison governors as model citizens, two gentlemen who pose no risk to anyone and so I cannot comprehend the manner or the method of their transfer to the so-called execution island,” Ms Bishop told the ABC’s AM program.

It earlier emerged Ms Bishop made an eleventh hour bid to save Chan and Sukumaran by proposing to repatriate three convicted Indonesian drug criminals in return for the lives of the two men.

It is understood Indonesia did not accept the offer during a tense phone call on Tuesday between Ms Bishop and her Indonesian counterpart.

Relatives of Chan and Sukumaran have arrived in Central Java to arrange prison visits with the men ahead of their executions.

PM urges Indo to ‘pull back from brink’

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has pleaded with Indonesia to “pull back from the brink” and spare the lives of Chan and Sukumaran.

AAP

Indonesian armored police vehicles transporting the Bali Nine duo. Photo: AAP

The Bali Nine ringleaders are facing imminent execution by firing squad, arriving to the ‘execution island’ on Wednesday.

Mr Abbott told parliament on Thursday that Australia wanted the best possible relationship with the best possible Indonesia.

“How can it be in Indonesia’s interest to kill these two men who are helping Indonesia in the fight against drug crime?” he said.

“As Australians we abhor drug crime. We stand resolutely against drug crime, but we are against the death penalty as well.”

Mr Abbott said the Australian parliament was speaking with a united voice in its appeal to Indonesia.

“Pull back from this brink,” Mr Abbott said.

“Don’t just realise what is in your own best interests, but realise what is in your own best values.”

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Australia was not seeking forgiveness or freedom for Chan and Sukumaran even though they had repented.

“The execution of these two young men will solve nothing,” he said.

with ABC/AAP

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