Myuran Sukumaran’s mother Raji sobbed as she struggled to walk and his sister Brintha wailed and collapsed as she made her way to the gate

IN heartbreaking scenes, the families of Bali Nine duo Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan have spoken of their grief and pleaded with Joko Widodo to stop the executions.

“To walk out of there and say goodbye for the last time, it’s torture and no family should have to go through that,” Michael Chan said.

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“There has to be a moratorium on the death penalty because now the family is going to have to grieve for the rest of their lives.

“I just hope the President, that somewhere in his heart he can find some courage to show some mercy to these nine individuals and call this off. It’s not too late ... it’s up to him.”

Families of Chan and Sukumaran make a heartbreaking address to the media Families of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have made a heartbreaking address to the media following their final visit and have pleaded with Joko Widodo to stop the executions.

Chintu Sukamaran said the families “Still have hope right up until the last second”.

“We spent the last few hours with my brother. We didn't have much time ... there were so many things to talk about,” Chintu said.

“We did talk about the death penalty and he knows this is just a waste. It’s not going to solve anything with drugs. Tomorrow, next week, next month, it’s still not going to stop anything with drugs. If these nine people die today, it’s still not going to stop anything.”

Sukumaran’s sister Brintha and mother then made heartbreaking pleas for Indonesia president Joko Widodo to call off the executions.

“Please do not do this to my brother. Please don’t take my brother from me,” Brintha pleaded through her tears.

“I just had to say goodbye to my son and I won’t see him again,” Sukumaran’s mother, Raji, said through tears.

“They are going to take him at midnight and shoot him

“He is healthy and he is beautiful ... I’m asking the government please don’t kill him today. Please don’t hold the execution. Please don’t kill my son.”

Earlier, artist Ben Quilty said he believed Chan and Sukumaran to provide comfort to those also facing execution “until the last second”.

“You may take their freedom and their lives, you may rob their fellow inmates of the support and love that both men have offered for so long ... but you will never kill the memory of them,” Mr Quilty wrote on a Facebook post addressed to Indonesian president Joko Widodo.

Chan will “calm and console” the seven others with them on Nusakambangan while Sukumaran will translate the executioner’s words, Mr Quilty said.

“I know that before the sound of your guns, the island will hear the comforting whisper of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan,” he wrote.

RELATED: How the executions will unfold

Hundreds gather for vigils in Australian cities

Supporters have gathered in Australian cities for vigils in support of the Bali Nine duo.

Hundreds gathered at Sydney’s Martin Place, with human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson telling the assembled group that sending the men to the firing squad was ‘operatic barbarism.’

In Canberra, a simple sign placed outside the Indonesian embassy said “Mr Widodo please help”.

The sign was placed there by a peaceful gathering of about 20 people who congregated with flowers and made a heart out of candles in front of the gates.

A representative of the embassy took photographs of the group from behind the fence, saying he’d pass them on.

In Brisbane, supporters assembled at King George Square, with at least two MPs from the Palaszczuk Government attending.

The Melbourne vigil was taking place at St Ignatius on Church Street in Richmond, with supporters gathering to light candles and pray.

Another vigil has been steadily building in Adelaide, focused on St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in the city centre.

About 100 people gathering in Brisbane's King George Square at vigil for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. pic.twitter.com/GSV4RFFw0D — Louisa Rebgetz (@louisarebgetz) April 28, 2015

Sukumaran’s final artworks revealed

Earlier, Myuran Sukumaran’s final haunting images — a canvas dripping with blood, a large heart and two self-portraits — were revealed to the media.

The image of the heart, painted last night, is signed on the back by all nine who will die tonight, strapped to wooden planks.

It is titled Satu Haiti, Satu Rasa di Dalam Cinta — One heart, one feeling in love.

The other prisoners have signed the back.

Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso, the sole woman in the group of nine, wrote: “Jesus always love us until the eternal life. Mary Jane. Keep smiling.”

Okwudile says: “God Bless Indonesia.” And Sylvester Nwolise wrote: “Am covered with the blood of Jesus Christ.”

Steven wrote: “One love”.

The four paintings were brought out from Nusakambangan today by his lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis and displayed by members of Sukumaran’s extended family, aunts and uncles and cousins.

Mr Lubis said Sukumaran’s final words to him were: “Thank you for believing in us and please fight for abolition of the death penalty.”

“Andrew is leading the prayers with his family and close friends,” Mr Lubis said.

Sukumaran has spent his final days on earth documenting his journey as the moments tick by for Indonesia to kill nine drug traffickers in what they say will be shock therapy.

Yesterday’s portrait was inscribed with: “Self Portrait. Time is Ticking.”

The graphic image shows him on a black background, with a gaping hole in his chest, where the bullets which kill him will enter his body.

On the back, it is signed off, Myuran Sukumaran, Besi Prison, Nusakambangan and dated April 25.

As the condemned Bali Nine duo confront the final anguishing hours of their lives, their loved ones have been put through a distressing ordeal to say one last goodbye.

In harrowing scenes, the families of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were forced through a punishing gauntlet of police and media to make their final visit to Indonesia’s execution island.

Sukumaran’s mother Raji sobbed as she struggled to walk and his sister Brintha wailed and collapsed as she made her way to the gate.

The families were made to visit the prosecutor’s office at Cilacap and then were forced by heavy-handed security forces to get out of their car about 100m from the port office, putting them in the middle of an unforgiving crush that included at least three barking and jumping police dogs, which handlers struggled to control.

The Sukumaran women were followed by the new wife of Andrew Chan, Febyanti Herewila. She appeared stricken as she went to say goodbye to the man she wed on Monday night.

Screams could be heard afterwards from inside the port office where the family members were forced to wait before they crossed by boat to Indonesia’s execution island.

Nine coffins shrouded in white have also gone to the island as well as a convoy of 12 ambulances.

Final indignity thrust on condemned men

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have been denied the right to choose the religious adviser they want to spend their final moments and hours alive.

Instead of their own personal and trusted ministers from Australia, the Indonesians will choose Indonesian ministers for them.

Chan and Sukumaran have nominated their particular religion and authorities will provide them with a pastor of that religion each.

It means that as they are strapped to wooden planks and shot dead they will be comforted by someone they have never met and have no personal relationship with.

The families will be forced to say goodbye at 2pm today and from then on the two will be comforted by the Indonesian pastors.

It is not clear yet why the decision was made to deny them their chosen spiritual advisers — Salvation Army minister David Soper for Chan and Bayside Church minister Christie Buckingham for Sukumaran.

It is the final indignity accorded to the two men in what is now a list of indignities, coming after the families were forced to endure a torturous 100 metre walk to their final ferry ride to their final goodbye visit.

How they will spend their final hours

Chan and Myuran Sukumaran continue their countdown to death shortly after midnight tonight, spending their final hours in their isolation cells.

By then they will have said their final goodbyes to their families, who will have spent their final hours with them. The families will be allowed to stay on the island visiting until about 2pm when they will be asked to say the last goodbye and leave.

Both men will be in an open garden area with their families. Around them will be the seven others to be shot with them and their families in a dreadful atmosphere of grief and anguish.

Sukumaran’s parents Raji and Sam, siblings Chinthu and Brintha, Chinthu’s wife and aunts and uncles will be with him.

Sukumaran has asked, as one of his final requests, to be allowed to continue painting until the end. For the past 10 days he has been prolific, doing a haunting and dark series of self portraits document his final journey.

Chan has asked to be allowed to attend church in the jail with his family. Ordained as a pastor during his final month in Kerobokan prison, he may well ask to lead the final service.

Earlier, it was revealed Sukumaran would decline a blindfold when he faces the firing squad tonight, opting instead to look the shooters in the eye as they line up to end his life.

The anguishing decision has been revealed by Ben Quilty, the respected Australian painter who has befriended aspiring artist Sukumaran during his time behind bars.

“Myuran always said to me that he would never take this lying down, that he would stare them down, that no one would cover his eyes, that he would face it with dignity,” Quilty told Reverend Bill Crews in a conversation on 2GB Radio at the weekend.

“He will face it with strength and dignity, I know that, I know that about him, because he won’t want his mother to think he’s a weeping mess at the end.

“He’ll want his mum to think that he’s brave and strong and dignified and she should be proud of the man that he’s become.”

Howard and Ruddock call for clemency

Former Prime Minister John Howard today also added his voice to the calls for the executions to be abandoned.

A spokesman for Mr Howard told News Corp Australia the former PM was travelling in China today.

“But he believes the Prime Minister has spoken for the vast majority of Australians in calling for clemency for these two men,” his spokesman said.

Fellow former prime minister Kevin Rudd also added his voice to the chorus of Australian politicians calling for clemency.

In a series of Tweets, Mr Rudd said: “As a lifelong opponent of capital punishment, the truth is it achieves nothing but the further destruction of life.”

He went on to say: “Indonesia like Australia, often relies on acts of clemency for its nationals from other govts. This won’t help the good people of Indonesia.”

As a long-standing friend of Indonesia with a deep affection for its people, I add my voice respectfully requesting this act of clemency. — Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) April 28, 2015

Former Attorney General and Father of the House Philip Ruddock issued a final plea for Chan and Sukumaran.

He said the legal process needed to be adhered to and the executions should not proceed until allegations of corruption are fully addressed.

“The notion that someone may be put to death pending an appeal is frankly outrageous”, Mr Ruddock said.

“In my years as Commonwealth Attorney General I met leading Indonesian law makers and know and share their concerns for fundamental human rights. The emergence of a true democracy with a commitment to the rule of law will be seriously challenged if these issues are mishandled”.

Mr Ruddock called for the Indonesian President to grant clemency to the pair.

He said the death penalty was “wrong as a matter of principle”.

“What we are now dealing with is not about a certain individual or a particular crime. This is an issue about legal process and allowing a legitimate Indonesian court to carry out its role and make a decision,” Mr Ruddock said.

“Ending the lives of those who would likely be impacted by such a decision undermines the positive recent developments in democracy and the rule of law.”

Attorney-General George Brandis has also written to Indonesian Attorney-General Prasetyo again regarding the cases of Chan and Sukumaran. This was the third occasion on which he has appealed to the Indonesian Attorney General.

“I drew to his attention that proceedings are still underway in both the Indonesian Constitutional Court and the Indonesian Judicial Commission that are relevant to Mr Chan and Mr Sukumaran,” Mr Brandis said.

“These proceedings raise serious questions regarding the integrity of the two men’s initial sentence and the clemency process. It is important that these actions are heard in full before any further steps are taken.”

“It would be a terrible outcome if rulings or findings in either of these proceedings called into question executions which have already been implemented and are irrevocable.”

No hope in Jokowi’s letter to Julie Bishop

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop this morning revealed she had received a letter from Indonesia confirming it planned to go ahead with the executions of the two men.

“They gave no indication that President (Joko) Widodo would change his mind and grant the clemency that we have sought,” she told the Nine Network.

Indonesia has not formally revealed the date when it plans to execute the two men by firing squad, however, it is believed to be on track for midnight tonight.

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Speaking this morning, Ms Bishop said she was thinking about Chan and Sukumaran and their families.

“I have been thinking about the families a lot and what they must be going through,” Ms Bishop told ABC radio.

She said she took her job very seriously and would continue to do all she could to save the men from the firing squad.

“I take it very seriously and will do everything I can to receive a stay of execution,” Ms Bishop told ABC radio.

She said Indonesia should delay the executions after the Constitutional Court said it would hear an application by the pair, but not until May.

The comments come after last night’s confusion on Q & A, where viewers heard that the Bali Nine duo could have another appeal heard before they’re executed.

The Indonesian Constitutional Court had set the date on May 12, at 3pm, for a preliminary hearing in relation to Chan and Sukumaran’s application as to the interpretation of the clemency law.

Ms Bishop said the men must not be executed until that case is heard, and until serious legal questions about the integrity of the men’s trial are resolved.

“Both these legal processes could impact on the outcome,” she said.

“They reflect the integrity of the sentencing process and the clemency process, and so we urge the Indonesian government to allow these legal processes to proceed because of course executions are irrevocable,” Ms Bishop said.

Despite some claims on social media about the upcoming hearing, there are no suggestions in Indonesia from the Attorney General that the Bali Nine’s Constitutional Court challenge will have any bearing on the executions.