Australian drug traffickers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in 2006. Source: AFP

The group posted a long message on their Facebook page stating their support for the Mercy Campaign, which aims to have the two men’s death sentences for drugs trafficking offences reduced to life imprisonment.

Mumford & Sons heard of the prisoners’ plight through a friend, singer Dougy Mandagi, from Australian band the Temper Trap. Mandagi is a friend of Chan’s.

The statement reads: “We would like to draw your attention to a campaign called “Mercy Campaign”. Its aim is to help two Australian inmates in Indonesia who are facing imminent death by firing squad to obtain clemency from the Indonesian president, and have their sentence

reduced to life in prison.”

The statement goes on to say that the two Australians deserve to be in prison but do not deserve to die and asks people to sign the Mercy Campaign petition.

The post is signed by band members Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane.

Their support comes as Chan and Sukumaran wait to hear today if they will be allowed to challenge the decision to deny them clemency.

The unusual appeal in the state administrative court is likely to be the Bali Nine ringleaders’ last legal avenue to save them from the firing squad.

The court in February rejected their challenge, determining the decrees by President Joko Widodo were not within its jurisdiction. If it overturns this decision today, lawyers will then argue Mr Joko did not fulfil his obligations when he issued a blanket rejection of clemency to Chan and Sukumaran, as he plans to do with more than 50 other death row drug offenders.

If the court upholds its earlier decision, it’s not known what move the lawyers will take next in their efforts to spare the men. Leonard Arpan, one of the lawyers for Chan and Sukumaran, last week said they had done their best for their Australian clients, who await execution on Nusakambangan island with seven other prisoners.

On Sunday, Jakarta’s Catholic Archbishop, Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, told reporters he was saddened by Indonesia’s use of the death penalty, which he described as a “failure of humanity”. Also distressing for the archbishop was the severe treatment of Chan and Sukumaran when they were moved last month from their Bali jail cells to Nusakambangan, which involved a fighter jet escort. “These men were handcuffed, was it necessary to be guarded by Sukhoi?” he told reporters after his Easter Sunday service.

“For me that’s not strictness, for me that’s very saddening because it’s obvious that power wants to show itself and human dignity is not cherished.” Jakarta is awaiting all of the 10 prisoners in line for the firing squad to run out of options for court appeals before setting a date for their executions.

AAP

Timeline: The Bali Two