Serge Atlaoui Seeks Presidential Pardon After Commuted Death Sentence

The Frenchman, previously sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug trafficking, requests clemency from President Macron to end his 19-year ordeal.

Serge Atlaoui, 61, was sentenced to death in Indonesia in 2007 for alleged drug trafficking but has consistently maintained his innocence.
After spending 17 years on death row, his sentence was commuted to 30 years in prison, and he was repatriated to France in February 2025.
His lawyer, Richard Sédillot, plans to request a presidential pardon, citing Atlaoui's deteriorated health and his exemplary behavior during incarceration.
The French justice system cannot reassess the original charges due to jurisdictional limits, leaving the pardon as the only path to freedom.
President Emmanuel Macron has granted a presidential pardon only once during his tenure, raising questions about the likelihood of clemency in this case.