A South African woman has been executed in China for smuggling 3kg's of methamphetamine into the country in 2008.
Janice Linden, 37, of Durban was put to death by lethal injection on Monday after numerous appeals and attempts by the South African government for her death sentence to be commuted to life in jail, failed.
Another South African woman who spent time in a foreign jail was former beauty queen, Vanessa Goosen, formerly of Cradock in the Eastern Cape.
Algoa FM News spoke to her on Monday about her thoughts on Linden's execution, her 16 years in a Thai jail and what advise she has for others.
Algoa FM: What are your thoughts about the execution?
Vanessa: "I must say to you that I am very angry and very upset and I am deeply hurt and I feel for her family and my heart really goes out to them."
"It's very devasting and I am very furious you know, like last night I was laying down and thinking what else can I do to create more awarness for people to hear out there about drug trafficking, especially to young girls, because drug trafficking kills and steals and destroys families and lives."
"Like me, myself who has been in prison for 16 and a half years, and gave birth to my first daughter in prison, it wasn't easy it was very hard, especially when she had to leave me, it really hurt me. I lost alot. I lost my twenties in prison."
"I lost family members, I lost friends. So the 16 and half years was hard. So many of these young people that get offered free trips overseas will be offered big sums of money."
"What happened to Linden today really shook me up and it made so angry of those people who are still using young people today and she was only 37 years oldand then her life was just taken away from her just like that."
"Its like people are just doing it for their own benefits and using people and that is something I really hate when they use people for their own benefits. I ask, what is the life like for a female in a prison like china and Bangkok."
"Well it was really not easy because of the different cultures, the language and especially I was pregnant, so it was very difficult. One there was a language barrier and getting aquainted to the culture and the people and the law.
It is very difficult because in Thailand like woman they have no rights. So they are not really recognised. So they are suffering more than the men do.
Algoa FM: What do you know about the execution process; when are people informed that they will be executed?
Vanessa: "They dont tell you. They dont tell you the day of execution because I had one experience of one lady that was in the prison they just called her and said that she has to see a doctor or someting like that. but you know obviously when they start taking your footprints, you know they are going to execute you, but they do not give you an execute date.
Algoa FM: Where are you based now, and how is you life now, after being released from Bangkok?
Vanessa: "I am based in Johannesburg and it hasn't been easy for me you know getting back into society. Just when I came out from prison I started working immediately and I actually didnt have time to really to heal and really look at myself."
"So it has been hard it has been tough and I am still dealing with my past as I am seeing a psychologist who is helping me through this. It does have some affect on a person but I am willing to deal with it because I need to move on with my life, but it is not easy at all."
"I am working on a book and so I will be publishing it by next year. So it will be more detailed for peoplee to understand what it is and what you go through when you're in a prison. Many people doesnt have an idea and it will be good especially for those who are still at risk, high risk."
