American woman allowed to leave East Timor after 6 months

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Stacey Addison, the Portland veterinarian held without charge for almost six months in East Timor, has been allowed to leave the country, Sen. Jeff Merkley's office confirmed to CBS Portland affiliate KOIN-TV.

"Of course, I can hardly believe it," Addison's mother, Bernadette Kero, told the station. "I'm just so thrilled that this is finally over and can't wait to see her!"

The breakthrough came about a week after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said there was "no explanation" for why the 41-year-old Addison was being detained in East Timor.

She left East Timor sometime Tuesday (local time), Merkley's office said. She is expected back in Portland Wednesday.

Her departure culminates a lengthy effort by her friends and family, who focused their attention on keeping her case in the forefront of both government officials and the media.

"We're so grateful for all the support she received from Portland and particularly want to thank Senator Merkley and his staff," Kero said.

At a Senate Appropriations subcommittee meeting last week, Merkley brought up Addison to Kerry.

Kerry said he had been in touch with Timorese officials.

"There really is -- I mean, I'm familiar with the case -- no legitimate explanation for how she has been detained and kept most recently, so we're going to keep working on that."

Kerry was among several high-profile leaders working behind-the-scenes to help secure Addison's release. She was arrested Sept. 5 after sharing a ride in a taxi with a stranger who had drugs.

Oregon Rep. Greg Walden reportedly met briefly with President Obama the night of the president's State of the Union address and gave him a letter detailing Addison's case.

In November, Merkley and Sen. Ron Wyden wrote a letter to Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell, urging a vote on the nomination of Karen Stanton to be U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor.

Stanton was later confirmed.

Around 2004, Stacey Addison moved to Portland and began working as a veterinarian. neighborhood

She saved her money for a few years, then sold her home and many of her possessions and began a worldwide journey in January 2013, starting in Antarctica.

In early September, she was in Indonesia and decided to travel to East Timor to renew her visa.

While she was in a hired car Sept. 5, 2014, the driver stopped to pick up another passenger That passenger asked to stop and pick up a package. Police then followed and stopped the taxi and arrested everyone inside.

Addison was jailed for five days, then posted on Facebook, "The parcel contained methamphetamine and everyone in the car was arrested. My bags were searched, my body was searched, all medications I am carrying were tested, and my urine was tested. Everything was negative but I was still arrested for drug trafficking. The man who picked up the package has testified he did not know me before we shared a ride to Dili, yet I am still not permitted to leave the country."

After she was released from jail, her passport was taken by East Timor authorities. Addison was then re-arrested Oct. 28 during a court appearance in which she tried to get a copy of her denied appeal about her conditional release.

She remained in prison for two months, until Christmas Day. From that time until she was allowed to leave East Timor, she stayed at the guesthouse of former East Timor President East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta.