The Israeli young woman imprisoned in Russia has taken another step on the path to freedom and has filed a formal pardon request for the Russian president

• Naama Issachar in Russian court // Photo: AFP

Naama Issachar, the Israeli young woman imprisoned in Russia, filed an official pardon request today for Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a move that may lead to her release from Russian prison. Issachar's Russian lawyer, Alexey Dubrovin, announced the pardon request, saying "We discussed with Naama Issachar about the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Pskov's statement that her pardon requires a formal application to the President of the Russian Federation. She has already submitted such in writing, in the required form, through the prison manager where she is.

"Naama, her family and lawyers are hoping for a speedy acceptance of her request by the Russian President, in accordance with a letter in the Russian Constitution and that she will receive a pardon and be released," the lawyer added.

Putin after meeting Netanyahu and Yaffa Issachar: "I promised everything would be fine"

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Remember, Naama was arrested about nine months ago at the Moscow airport after being seized with nine and a half grams of cannabis and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. In recent weeks, a deal has been struck between Putin and the prime minister, under which the two countries have begun mutual action to improve their relationship, with one of the Russian gestures likely being the release of the young woman.

Last weekend, Putin came to visit Israel, marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp, where he met with Netanyahu and Naama's mother - Yaffe Issachar. "It won't take long," Netanyahu said, referring later to his family, referring to their imprisoned daughter in Russia. "I thank the Prime Minister for the efforts. President Putin assured me that he would bring the girl home to me," the mother said.

President Putin also spoke after the closed-door meeting: "Indeed, I have now met Naama's horror, and it is clear that Naama is from a very good family. I know the position of the Prime Minister. And supporting her daughter, I told her and say again - everything will be fine. "

Looking forward to her release. Mother and sister of Naama // Photo: Yehuda Peretz

"No further delay expected"

Concurrent with this meeting, Naama held a meeting with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moselkova, who agreed to assist the young woman in her pardon request. According to Moselkova, Yishker had no complaints during her meeting with her about the conditions of her arrest, and she made sure "everything was fine with her." "Issachar did not make any specific requests regarding her terms," ​​she said. She added that "Issachar did not commit an offense that harmed the Russians."

Yesterday, a close relative of the Ishachar family told Israel Today: "There is no change in the situation. We formally applied the pardon proceeding. The form in question is procedural and technical only, no further delay is expected. "