Australian in bid to save death row pair

Australia will continue to pressure the Indonesian government to grant clemency to two of its citizens facing death penalties, according to foreign minister Julie Bishop.

Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, two of nine Australian citizens arrested in Bali in 2005 over an alleged plot to smuggle heroin from Indonesia to Australia, were sentenced to death earlier this month following nine years in prison.

Sukumaran has already had a plea for clemency rejected by Indonesian president Joko Widodo, while Chan's request is still being processed.

If it is also rejected, the pair will face execution together.

However, Bishop reiterated that the Australian government would continue to apply pressure on their Indonesian counterparts regarding their decision, saying the death penalty will not change attitudes towards drug smuggling.

"Prime minister (Tony) Abbott and I have continued to raise the cases every time we meet with senior leadership of the Indonesian government," Bishop told Channel Nine on Monday. Endi