Tony Abbott has offered Indonesian President Joko Widodo a prisoner swap in a bid to save Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran’s lives. The Australian prime minister forwarded the request to the other country, but admitted that there’s no guarantee it would be granted.

As The Australian first reported, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop had a “very tense” phone call with her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi, in which she offered a prisoner swap for the Bali Nine. The prisoner swap would see three convicted Indonesian drug smugglers returned to their country in exchange for clemency for Chan and Sukumaran’s execution. The call took place on Tuesday night.

“We are seeking opportunities to explore every option that might be available to us, every avenue that might be available to save the lives of these two men,” Bishop said after the candlelight vigil in Canberra on Thursday. The vigil was attended by Mr Abbott and several other federal politicians against the death penalty.

“I’m waiting to hear back from the foreign minister. I spoke to her about it, and she undertook to provide that information to the president.”

The three prisoners are Kristito Mandagi, Saud Siregar and Ismunandar, who were the captain, the chief officer and the engineer of a boat that was carrying 390 kg of drugs. Chan, Sukumaran and the rest of the Bali Nine gang were caught with 8.3 kg of heroin in 2005.

The Indonesians were caught in an operation in 1998, with all pleading not guilty. Mandagi was sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 25 years, while the other two were given 20-year sentences.

“I’ve put in a request, I can’t guarantee the request will be met, but I’ve put in a request because the government and the people of Indonesia need to know that this is important to us,” Mr Abbott was quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald as saying, referring to his request to Mr Widodo. “These men have become crime-fighters and they are assets to Indonesia in the fight against drug crime and when you’ve got an asset you don’t destroy it.”

Chan and Sukumaran have been transferred from Kerobokan prison to Nusakambangan Island, where they will be executed by firing squad. As local news outlets noted, the two Australians’ transfer used excessive force, with security personnel in full and heavy armour. The show of force is believed by many to be Indonesia’s message to Australia that capital punishment is Indonesia’s sovereign right and therefore would not be swayed by other nations.

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