Malaysian ‘drug mules’ in prisoner swap with Iran appeal for remission

Their lawyer says the duo, sentenced to 25 years by Iranian courts in 2013, returned to Malaysia in 2019 under a prisoner swap deal in exchange for 102 Iranians.

The lawyer of two Malaysian women jailed in Iran 13 years ago for trafficking in drugs said they were victims of a large syndicate. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Two Malaysian women jailed in Iran 13 years ago for trafficking in drugs have appealed to the home minister for remission, saying they have suffered enough.

In a letter to home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, their lawyer M Manoharan said his clients, who were found in possession of drugs, were handed a 25-year jail term in Tehran in 2013.

M Manoharan.

Manoharan claimed the drugs were planted in their luggage by someone who had instructed them to deliver the bags to a party in Iran.

He said the women served six years in Iran before returning to Malaysia in 2019 to serve the remainder of their sentences under the International Prisoners Transfer Programme, in exchange for 102 Iranian detainees.

Manoharan said Section 18(a) of the International Transfer of Prisoners Act states that such detainees should not be denied parole, pardon, respite or commutation of sentence.

He said the two women had been in transit in Tehran on their way to a holiday in Japan, with all travel arrangements handled by a travel agent known to them as “Mathavan”.

“They were used as drug mules without their knowledge and were victims of a large syndicate. We hope the minister will give them a new lease of life, as the incarceration has already been more than enough punishment for their ignorance,” he said in the letter sighted by FMT.

“They have already served a total of 12 years. The younger woman was only 14 years old when she was jailed, while her aunt was 47.

“Their conduct in both the Iranian and Malaysian prisons has been exemplary, with no reports of misbehaviour.”

Manoharan said the duo had endured extreme mental and emotional hardship while jailed abroad, with no visitation rights for six years. He added that their lives should not be wasted by a large portion of it being spent in prison.

He said the younger woman, who is now 26, had her whole future ahead of her.

“We appeal for both of them to be granted parole under normal conditions.”

FMT has reached out to Saifuddin for comment. - FMT