Five Iranians Imprisoned for Drug Trafficking in Afghanistan Released
Afghanistan’s Justice and Counter-Narcotics Center announced that five Iranian nationals who were imprisoned on drug trafficking charges in the country have had their fines pardoned and have been released from prison.
In a newsletter from the institution sent to media outlets today, Monday, April 19, it stated that these five individuals were released under Afghan law and following a request from Iran’s ambassador in Kabul, taking into account judicial cooperation between the two countries, based on “Islamic mercy and humanitarian compassion toward impoverished foreign nationals.”
The center added that these Iranian nationals had completed their sentences related to drug trafficking but remained in Pul-e Charkhi Central Prison in Kabul due to their inability to pay their monetary fines.
According to the newsletter, based on an order from Afghanistan’s president, their financial penalties were pardoned by Ashraf Ghani and they were released.
According to the center’s announcement, the released individuals had been arrested by Afghan forces on suspicion of trafficking narcotic drugs including morphine, heroin, opium, and cannabis (hashish).
These individuals were each sentenced to 16 years imprisonment in Afghanistan’s three-tiered courts and completed their sentences, but based on an order from Afghanistan’s president, their monetary penalties were pardoned and they were formally handed over to Iran’s embassy in Kabul.
The newsletter explained that previously, three nationals from Uganda who were imprisoned in Afghanistan for drug trafficking were also returned to their country after completing their sentences and paying their monetary fines.
Ahmad Khalid Mohid, the media officer of the center, had previously told BBC that 25 Iranian nationals have been imprisoned in Afghanistan since 2011 on drug trafficking charges, with three of them being women.
Source: BBC Persian
