Ausies protests Indonesia's treatment of death row men

Australia issued a formal protest to Indonesia yesterday after photos emerged of a smiling senior police officer posing with the two men due to face the firing squad, as it was confirmed that the executions would not happen this week.

Prime Minster Tony Abbott expressed outrage over the photographs taken on board the plane used to transport Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran from Bali to the so-called "execution island" of Nusakambangan.

"I thought they were unbecoming and showed a lack of respect and dignity and we have protested to the Indonesian ambassador here in Canberra," Abbott told reporters of the pictures that were widely published in Australia.

The two men were the ringleaders of the so-called "Bali Nine" drug trafficking gang and were moved on Wednesday to the place where they are due to be killed, amid intense protest from Canberra.

They are among a group of drug convicts, including foreigners from France, Brazil, the Philippines, Nigeria and Ghana, who are expected to be executed at the same time on the prison island of Nusakambangan.

Authorities confirmed yesterday at the executions would not take place this week.