Prague, March 16 (CTK) – The Czech Republic wants to sign an agreement on mutual transfer of convicts with Pakistan, the Justice Ministry announced on Friday, and gave the case of a Czech woman suspected of drug smuggling and facing a trial in Pakistan as a reason for its effort.
The woman has been in Pakistani custody for two months. She may be sentenced to several years in prison.
If the Czech-Pakistani agreement were signed, it should also apply to this case.
“Within the negotiations, both parties confirmed their intention to reach agreement on the transfer of convicts, which could also be applied to the current case of a Czech citizen, if she received a prison sentence within the Pakistani penal proceedings,” the ministry said.
The agreement would enable the citizens convicted in the other country to apply for transfer to their homeland, where they would serve their sentence.
Pakistan previously signed such an agreement with only one European country, which is Britain.
The Pakistani customs officers caught the Czech woman, 21, with nine kilograms of heroin in her luggage at the Lahore international airport on January 10. She was heading for a flight bound for Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, from where she planned to continue to Ireland, according to the Pakistani media.
The court proceedings in this case have been underway with the next court session scheduled for Tuesday.
The woman’s defence has applied for her release on bail, but the court has not decided on the request as yet.
Pakistan imposes high sentences for drug smuggling, including death penalty, but it usually has not been imposed on foreigners, the Czech ministry said previously.
