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Hope for Schapelle

As Schapelle Corby’s mental health reaches a new low, Erin Craven reports on moves to bring her home.

The campaign to bring Schapelle Corby home has gained new strength following revelations that her mental health has been in serious decline while serving out her 20-year sentence for drug smuggling in Bali’s notorious Kerobokan jail.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is the latest to join the chorus of high-profile Australians calling on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to honour his 2007 election promise and lobby the Indonesian government harder to try and get Schapelle transferred to an Australian prison to serve out the remainder of her sentence.

“These matters are quite appropriately dealt with on a Federal level but I have to say I have always thought it would be better if Schapelle Corby served her time in Australia,” Premier Bligh commented last week.

Prime Minister Rudd has not responded to reports that Schapelle is suffering from severe depression.

As Woman’s Day has previously reported, Schapelle’s behaviour has raised alarm bells among her family and fellow prisoners, prompting fears that unless she’s transferred to an Australian prison, the 32-year-old may harm herself.

In an exclusive interview just three weeks ago, fellow prisoner Renae Lawrence revealed that Schapelle had become increasingly disturbed in recent weeks.

“She’s definitely not sane any more. She talks about ‘going down’, which means down into a grave,” says Renae, who claims she has been charged with caring for Schapelle.

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