Donna Nelson given new trial date for drug smuggling charges as Julian Assange lawyer joins legal team

Donna Nelson has been given a new trial date as she marks almost two years in a Japanese prison since her arrest. The former Greens candidate has been in a Japanese prison for 22 months after she was arrested at Narita Airport in Tokyo on January 4, 2023 when nearly 2kg of methamphetamine was allegedly found inside her suitcase. After several delays, the 57-year-old has a court date set, with a two-week trial to begin in Tokyo on November 18. It comes as international human rights barrister Jennifer Robinson — the long-time lawyer of recently freed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange — has now joined Ms Nelson’s legal team. The Ballardong Njaki-Njaki woman was due to face trial in June with the verdict expected on July 11 but at the eleventh hour, the prosecution introduced new evidence, delaying the proceedings. Her family claims she was duped into delivering the drugs to Japan from South East Asia by a Nigerian man she met online. The former Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service chair has been subject to some of the strictest prison conditions in the world. She is allowed out of her cell for just 30 minutes a day, is only permitted to speak in Japanese, and can shower once every three days. Ms Nelson’s family has had no contact with her since the day of her arrest due to a communication ban and is only updated on the case through her lawyers and the Australian Embassy. Her daughters have condemned Ms Nelson’s treatment in Japan, especially her being denied contact with her family. They told 7NEWS that when the trial starts, they want to make sure the world, particularly all Australians, are watching.