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British Grandmother Returns from Indonesian Death Row

Published 7 November 2025

Lindsay Sandiford, a 69-year-old British grandmother from Cheltenham, arrived at London Heathrow Airport on Thursday after spending more than a decade on death row in Indonesia for drug smuggling. The former legal secretary, who endured 12 years in Bali's Kerobokan Prison, was released last month under a bilateral humanitarian agreement between the UK and Indonesian governments, marking the end of a 13-year ordeal that began with her arrest in 2012.

Sandiford's journey home involved a 20-hour flight on Qatar Airways, funded by a 600-pound ticket arranged by British officials. She was seen in a wheelchair at Denpasar International Airport, shielding her face from photographers as she boarded the plane alongside British representatives. She traveled with fellow British national Shahab Shahabadi, 35, who had been serving a life sentence for separate drug offenses since 2014. Both were handed over to UK authorities following the signing of repatriation papers.

The release stemmed from Sandiford's deteriorating health, including diabetes and hypertension, combined with her exemplary behavior during imprisonment. Foreign Office officials had negotiated the deal for over 18 months,...

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