[imagesource: Netwerk24]

South African Ashley Oosthuizen is currently looking at life behind bars after her death sentence was commuted in August last year.

The 22-year-old, originally from George, moved to Thailand after matriculating in 2018.

A series of events led to her being convicted of international drug trafficking, but her family and friends maintain that she is innocent.

They say she was tricked by her then-boyfriend, American Tristan Nettles, who she met while working as a kindergarten teacher on the island of Koh Samui.

Ashley’s story hit the headlines in February when the #FreeAshley campaign gathered pace. A website, FreeAshley.org, laid out the alleged circumstances of her arrest in great detail, and calls for her release grew louder.

According to The Bangkok Post, her family has hit a setback:

…authorities rejected her family’s plea to have her extradited to her home country. The authorities cited the lack of an extradition treaty between the two countries…

Thawatchai Chaiyawat, deputy director-general of the Department of Corrections, said authorities can’t accept the extradition request filed by Oosthuizen’s mother, as Thailand and South Africa do not have treaty regarding prisoner transfers.

Image: FreeAshley.org

“Only when such a treaty is in force between the two countries can such a transfer be possible,” he said.

In response to claims that Ashley was being treated poorly in jail, Thawatchai said they were acting “in line with internationally-accepted human rights principles”.

He added that she has received three COVID-19 jabs and is being allowed to teach yoga to other inmates.

The good news is that Ashley is eligible to be considered for a royal pardon, Thawatchai added, “which would be granted on important occasions”.

It’s unclear how likely that might be in this case.

Ashley turns 23 this week and her mother, Lynn Blignaut, has asked South Africans to pray for the safe return of her daughter.

Jacaranda FM put this report together:

The South African embassy in Thailand has offered support to the family, but they’re not allowed to get directly involved with the judicial process.

Many crowdfunding campaigns cropped up, purportedly to fund Ashley’s legal defence.

Lynn has stressed that the family only wants donations made to an official trust fund account which will be set up in due course.

[sources:bangkokpost&jacaranda]