Serge Atlaoui to Be Freed from Indonesian Prison This Friday

Serge Atlaoui

Paris — July 18, 2025

Serge Atlaoui, the Frenchman once sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug trafficking, will finally leave prison this Friday. This marks the end of a long legal and diplomatic battle that has lasted for nearly twenty years.

Arrested and Sentenced to Death

Serge Atlaoui was arrested in 2005 in Indonesia. He was accused of being involved in a large ecstasy lab near Jakarta. Atlaoui always said he was only a welder doing technical work and did not know drugs were being made there.

In 2007, he was sentenced to death. His case became well known because France, human rights groups, and many citizens fought for him to be spared. Over the years, appeals and talks between governments managed to stop his execution many times.

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Years of Waiting

Atlaoui spent years on death row, never knowing if or when he would be executed. Later, his death sentence was changed to life in prison — but even then, he stayed locked up far from his family in difficult conditions.

The French government kept working quietly to get him released or sent back to France. Many people in France supported his family during this long fight.

A New Chapter

Now, after almost twenty years behind bars, Serge Atlaoui will finally be freed. He is expected to come home to France soon and be reunited with his loved ones. He more than hard work for his family and their bright future.

His release brings relief to his family and supporters, who see this as the end of a punishment they believe was unfair. For Atlaoui, it is the start of a new life, but he will carry the memory of two decades in prison.

Final Thought

Serge Atlaoui’s story shows how hope and support can help someone face huge challenges. He more than hard work for his family and their bright future.

After so many years locked up far from home, he now has a chance to rebuild his life, surrounded by family and friends who never gave up on him.