Arabic version: عائلة دونا نيلسون تحتفل بعودتها إلى بيرث

According to ABC News, Donna Nelson’s family says it is grateful and ecstatic that she has returned to Perth from Japan under an international prisoner transfer arrangement. Nelson, 60, is now being held at Bandyup Women’s Prison after serving three years of a six-year sentence in Japan for drug smuggling.

Nelson was arrested at Narita International Airport in January 2023 and charged with trying to import almost 2 kilograms of methamphetamine. She was found guilty after being tricked by a love scammer into carrying a bag containing drugs. The former Greens candidate and Aboriginal health advocate abandoned her final avenue for appeal last year, beginning the process that led to the transfer.

Her daughter Ashlee Charles said Nelson was happy to be home, where she had cappuccinos, spent time with relatives and met her youngest grandchild for the first time. Charles said her mother had not received a hug during her time in Japan and was greeted with many hugs after arriving in Perth.

Another daughter, Kristal Hilaire, said the transfer process had been stressful and secretive, with the family placing trust in Australian and Japanese authorities. The family said it learned at the last minute when Nelson would return and cried with relief after she contacted them from Perth. They are uncertain about what comes next but hopeful Nelson could be eligible for parole in February.