Lawyer denied access to see pregnant woman
Samantha Orobator, a 20-year-old from London, has been in prison in Laos since her arrest on charges of smuggling heroin last August, and is five months’ pregnant after allegedly being raped while in custody.
A legal expert from the British legal aid organisation Reprieve was due to meet Samantha at Phonthong Prison, the first time she would have had contact with any legal representation since her arrest.
However, Reprieve lawyer Anna Morris was denied access to the scheduled meeting, despite the possibility that the trial could take place next week.
Samantha’s mother, Jane, who lives in Castleknock with Samantha’s three younger sisters, has pleaded with the Laotian authorities to release her.
Ms Morris said that the meeting had been scheduled through official channels, but when she arrived yesterday she was told that she would not be allowed access to Samantha.
Samantha Orobator was charged with trying to smuggle 680g of heroin in her luggage.
Anyone caught with more than 498g faces a mandatory death sentence, but it emerged yesterday that the Briton will not face the death penalty if convicted because the country’s law bans executing pregnant prisoners.
According to a letter from Reprieve to British Home Secretary David Milliband: “Our barrister in Laos, Anna Morris, brought it to the attention of the authorities there that Laotian law forbade the imposition of the death penalty on a pregnant woman.”
It also emerged that the trial – originally scheduled for next year but brought forward at short notice – will not be held until next week so that an “appropriate lawyer” can be found to defend her, according to Khenthong Nuanthasing of the Laos Foreign Ministry.
Yesterday Jane Orobator welcomed the news that the trial would not commence this week, but said the situation was still very upsetting.
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