According to Husain Abdullah, a spokesman for Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, the execution of two leaders of a heroin trafficking group known as Bali Nine, will be delayed for between three weeks to a month for technical reasons.
In spite of reiterated clemency requests from Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Indonesian authorities insisted that Andrew Chan, 31, and Myuran Sukumaran, 33, would be executed.
The two Australians were among the prisoners to be moved this week from Bali to a high-security prison Nusakambangan Island before the execution by firing squad. However, due to appeals from Canberra to grant the offenders more time with their relatives, the execution was postponed.
"The change is only in the transfer (of the prisoners). This is our response to requests by the Australian government and the families to give them more time," said Tony Spontana, a spokesman for the attorney general's office.
It was not reported when the prisoners would be transferred and when the executions would take place.
Indonesian authorities also referred to logistical difficulties including capacity at Nusakambangan as a ground for the delay.
Indonesia has very strict drug laws. One hundred thirty-three people are on death row in Indonesia, including 57 condemned for drug crimes.
