Naama Issachar, an Israeli citizen sentenced to jail in Russia, has asked President Putin to pardon her, according to the lawyers representing the woman. Issachar has filed a corresponding request via the administration of the detention facility, the lawyers stated.
"Today we have discussed the statement issued by Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov in which he indicated that Naama Issachar should directly ask President Putin for pardon. After a discussion, Naama made the decision to file a plea addressed to President Putin to have her pardoned and released....Naama, her relatives, and the defence lawyers are hoping that the president will promptly decide to pardon and release her", a statement issued by the legal firm Pen & Paper, which is leading Issachar’s case, said.
Issachar's mother has confirmed that her daughter submitted the mercy plea.
"I don't know how long it will take", Yaffa Issachar said.
Previously, Peskov said that Issachar had not asked President Putin to be pardoned, which was "stalling the whole process".
The Israeli citizen was sentenced to 7.5 years in a penal colony for drug possession and trafficking.
Issachar was detained in April at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow. Police officers found almost ten grams of hash in her backpack, which, according to the woman, she was transporting for personal purposes. Cannabis is partially decriminalised in Israel, but it is illegal in Russia and possession of it is a punishable crime. The penalty has been harshly criticised in Israel as "disproportionate" since the amount of drugs found was allowed for personal use in Israel.
