All hope is not lost in the campaign to save two Australian members of the so-called ‘Bali Nine’ from the death penalty, with a bid for their release gaining momentum at the 11th hour.

A petition for mercy for Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan has gained more than 10,000 signatures in 72 hours as the men, found guilty of smuggling heroin in 2005, await their deaths by firing squad.

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Mercy Campaign co-founder Brigid Delaney, who has campaigned for the men throughout the past decade, says it is not too late.

“There’s lots of interest in it and lots of people wanting to know more about what they can do,” Ms Delaney says.

The Australian government claims to have interceded on behalf of the two men more than 50 times, but the Indonesian government seems to have cast doubt on just how opposed the Australian government is to the potential executions.

Six drug traffickers, including five foreign prisoners, have been killed in recent days, sparking diplomatic outrage from Brazil and The Netherlands, both of which have recalled their ambassadors.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said that she and Prime Minister Tony Abbott “have continued to raise the cases” at every meeting between the two governments.

But Indonesian Attorney-General HM Prasetyo has said that the Australian government had not pressured his government to waive the death penalty.

What happens now?

Sukumaran now faces execution after his final appeal for clemency was rejected by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

The 33-year-old’s legal team is reportedly considering a number of appeal options, including a direct plea for clemency from Prime Minister Abbott to Mr Widodo.

Chan is still waiting to hear the verdict of his plea.

“The legal team is looking at the possibility of one more appeal. That might be a thing called PK in Indonesia – it’s a process in the Indonesian courts. That’s an option,” Ms Delaney says.

“That’s usually if there is new evidence that has come to light.”

The two men were found guilty of trafficking heroin in 2006 along with seven other Australians, and were all sentenced to either life imprisonment or death via firing squad.

A PK, in Indonesian ‘Peninjauan Kembali’, is an appeal of a court decision and generally requires new evidence to be heard.

“The main channel now is pleas for clemency. The plea would be directly from Tony Abbott to Joko Widodo, and Australians getting involved in a plea for clemency,” Ms Delaney says.

Trying to stay strong

After hearing her son’s plea for clemency had failed, Raji Sukumaran told News Limited she wished her life could be taken instead.

“I wish they would kill me first, he doesn’t deserve to die,” Mrs Sukumaran said.

“He did something really foolish 10 years ago and he apologised … he is trying to rehabilitate a lot of people there and he is really, really sorry for what he has done.”

In a message posted on Facebook, Andrew Chan said he and “Myu” were trying to be strong as more executions were carried out.

Six people convicted on drug charges were executed in Indonesia on Sunday, including foreigners from the Netherlands and Brazil.

“Today has been one of the hardest days hearing that there are six human beings going to be executed within the next few days in Indonesia,” Chan wrote.

“Myu and I are both trying to stay strong for our family and friends at this difficult time.

“It is hard to think that our lives are in the hands of two men – Tony Abbott and Joko Widodo – who have the power to grant life and death.”

Ms Delaney said Sukumaran was constantly thinking of his family.

“Whenever I’ve had contact with him, his main thoughts have been with his family and the pain that his mother is experiencing. That’s something that’s on his mind a lot.”

Changed men

While on death row, Sukumaran has become a painter, entering portraits in the Archibald Prize, while Chan runs Kerobokan Jail’s church.

Ms Delaney said Chan and Sukumaran had both worked hard to rehabilitate themselves in prison.

“Myuran is treated with respect by the guards and other prisoners because he is helping the other prisoners to learn English, teaching them to paint – he’s a really calming, gentle sort of guy.

“The same with Andrew. He’s very involved in the church. He’s a larrikin who loves to joke.

“They’re both intelligent and quick-witted. They have friends in there, there’s a whole community of people that they’ve encouraged to learn English.

“He’s [Sukumaran] an impressive guy who regrets what he did. Their lawyer Julian McMahon often talks about what a change these guys have made.

“I think they’ve had a beneficial impact on a place that’s really hard and can be dark.”