Israel's Issachar Jailed In Russia On Drug Charges Files For Presidential Pardon - Defense

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2020) Naama Issachar, an Israeli woman serving a prison term in Russia for drug trafficking, has filed a petition requesting pardon from Russian President Vladimir Putin, her defense said on Sunday.

"Today we discussed with Naama Issachar Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov's statement that her pardon required a personal appeal to the president. As a result of our discussion, Naama decided to appeal to the Russian president for pardon and release, and such a petition has already been submitted in writing through the administration of the detention center in which she is in. Naama, her family and lawyers are hoping for the Russian president's early decision to pardon and release her in accordance with his constitutional powers," Pen & Paper, the law firm defending Issachar, said.

Earlier, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a request for Issachar's pardon to Putin. The woman's mother has also asked the Russian president to grant pardon to her daughter.

Issachar, who has dual Israeli-US citizenship, was arrested in April 2019 during a layover in Moscow while she was on her way to Israel from India. Police found some nine grams (0.3 ounces) of cannabis in her bags. Issachar was found guilty of drug smuggling and sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. The penalty has been harshly criticized in Israel as "disproportionate" since the amount of drugs found was allowed for personal use in Israel, though it is considered illegal in Russia.