Russia frees U.S.-Israeli woman from jail after Putin pardon

Russia frees U.S.-Israeli woman from jail after Putin pardon

Russia on Thursday freed a U.S.-Israeli woman who was jailed on drug charges after President Vladimir Putin granted her a pardon, the RIA news agency cited the Federal Prison Service as saying.

Ciara Lee reports

Russia has freed a U.S.-Israeli woman who was jailed on drug charges.

The RIA news agency, citing the country's prison service, said President Vladimir Putin had granted Naama Issachar a pardon.

The 26-year-old's release came ahead of talks in Moscow on Thursday between Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel had called on Russia to release New Jersey-born Issachar.

She was jailed for seven and a half years in April after police found cannabis in her bags during a stopover at a Moscow airport, en route from India to Israel.

Netanyahu flew in from Washington to pass on details of Donald Trump's Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.

The Israeli leader welcomed the pardon.