Mary Jane Veloso's Miraculous Homecoming: A Decade-Long Battle Ends

Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino woman on death row in Indonesia for 15 years, has been allowed to return home following a new agreement between Indonesia and the Philippines. Her release is seen as a miracle by Veloso, who maintains her innocence and spent her prison years learning new skills.

Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino woman who spent nearly 15 years on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking, returned to her homeland after a new agreement between Indonesia and the Philippines allowed her release. Veloso described this as a 'miracle' after years of hoping for freedom.

In 2010, Veloso was arrested for heroin smuggling at an airport in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and sentenced to death. Throughout her imprisonment, Veloso maintained her innocence and, in 2015, narrowly avoided execution due to complex legal proceedings involving her recruiter.

Her case drew international attention, with activists arguing she was an unwitting courier. During her sentence, Veloso engaged in various creative activities in prison. Now back home, her story highlights Indonesia's strict drug laws and complex international relations.

(With inputs from agencies.)