Norwegian woman released from prison in Japan: “It has been very tough”

Ingrid Martinussen, 32, was released from prison in Japan on Tuesday after spending 21 days in custody, in an isolation cell.

“I was constantly trying to think positively while I was in there. It has been very tough, and I cannot say that I have been well taken care of,” said Ingrid Martinussen when she met the Norwegian press today, according to NRK.

According to Dagbladet, she left the police station at 5.20 a.m. Norwegian time.

Claiming she is innocent
Since November 20^th, the 32-year-old has been in custody at Omiya Higashi police station in Saitama outside Tokyo, suspected of contributing to a package of 140 grams of marijuana being shipped from the United States to Tokyo. The woman ordered cakes from a friend in the United States and claims she is innocent.

“I want to finish what I’m doing in Japan. It has always been a dream to live here, but now I’m not so sure anymore,” she says.

She spent the minutes after the release calling home.

“It is an incredible relief,” writes brother Bjarne Martinussen in a text message to VG.

Can return home
At the press conference, lawyer Farid Bouras says that Ingrid has had her Norwegian passport returned, which means she can travel.

“From what we have with information, Ingrid is acquitted. She has regained her passport, PC and mobile. This means that the basis for suspicion is weakened,” says the aid lawyer.

The prosecutor in the case went through the case again after new documentation had been handed over to the investigators, writes Dagbladet. The documentation was the Twitter messages between Martinussen and the American friend from whom she ordered cakes. The lawyer had also obtained private Twitter messages that police in Japan have not had access to.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today