Indonesia has decided to hold back the execution of death row convicts for the time being as it wants to focus more on fixing its slowing economic growth. The news has been announced by the coordinating minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs of Indonesia, Luhut Panjaitan, on Thursday.

Indonesians have been quite cautious with further executions following the shootings of the Bali Nine duo, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, who were a part of a drug smuggling ring. The execution of the two affected Indonesia’s diplomatic ties with Australia after it rejected the latter’s plea for clemency for the duo. Chan and Sukumaran were shot by firing squad along with other drug offenders.

“The government needs to focus on Indonesia's economy first,” Luhut told a press conference on Thursday. He said that until the economy improves, the executions of the death row convicts would take a backseat. No time frame has been set on the executions as of now.

He added that the issue was raised when he met officials of the Australian government in Sydney earlier this week and that Australia promised it will not intervene into Indonesia’s decision on death penalty.

“I have told them that we [Indonesia] are concentrating on the economy,” he said. “We will have further discussions if something comes up.”

Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, a Jakarta-based human rights group, welcomed the decision and called on the Indonesian government to consider clemency for the death row convicts.

“Clemency for convicts on death row would prevent them having the death row phenomenon that often happens during a postponement of [carrying out] death sentences, which is usually evident in a mentally disturbed state,” ICJR senior researcher Anggara said on Thursday, as quoted by the Jakarta Post.

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