Free Ashley Oosthuizen: 5th birthday in Thai prison

Update

GEORGE NEWS - On 3 March this year it was Ashley Oosthuizen's 26th birthday - sadly, it was also her fifth birthday in a Thai prison.

She travelled to Thailand in 2018 and was arrested in October 2020 at the restaurant where she worked.

She had signed for a package containing drugs, which she maintains she did not know about. The package was addressed to someone else, and she says that she merely signed for it.

Initially, she was sentenced to death for a category one drug-related offence, but the court changed it to life imprisonment. However, in 2022, her sentence was reduced to 33 years. She has appealed the sentence and is still awaiting news regarding the appeal that will be heard in Thailand's High Court.

No court date has been set yet. If she is not granted clemency, she will be 56 years old when she is eventually released.

Ashley's mother, Lynn Blignaut, who moved to Thailand in 2022, did a live Facebook broadcast from the page A voice for Ashley Oosthuizen on her daughter's birthday Monday morning, 3 March. She was joined by a friend and translator whom she met at church, Adjarn Somwong Mailaiad.

Together, they answered questions regarding Ashley and her time in prison, shared birthday messages and stories, and sang Happy Birthday to Ashley. People from across the world joined the live broadcast. The post garnered 161 reactions and 237 comments by Monday afternoon.

"Ashley wasn't able to watch the live broadcast, but we will show her when she is home. We believe in God's divine timing," says Lynn.

Lynn had permission to visit her daughter again yesterday, Wednesday, 5 March. In 2023, she could visit Ashley in prison on her birthday.

In a letter to her mother before her birthday, Ashley writes that she has already received some gifts from her friends in prison. "We had a lovely meal today. Around 15 people came to eat together. Also, church was good. And [I] got some gifts already today too... underwear, a face cloth and face powder. That's sweet of them," she writes.

Every year, people wear yellow to mark Ashley's birthday. "Yellow is the colour of hope and is also Ashley's favourite colour," says Lynn. She has also launched a brand-new YouTube channel, A voice for Ashley.

In January this year, mother and daughter had their first physical contact in nearly six years when prison authorities allowed a visit without barriers.

Follow the Facebook page 'A voice for Ashley Oosthuizen' for updates from Lynn.

A screenshot from the live broadcast Ashley's mother did on Monday morning with her friend Adjarn Somwong Mailaiad.