Putin tells mother of backpacker he’ll look at case, ‘everything will be okay’

Russian President Vladimir Putin tells the mother of jailed Israeli backpacker Naama Issachar that he will examine her case but that “everything will be okay.”

He also says that Issachar will be visited in jail today by a worker from a human rights organization.

“I met with Naama’s mother and it is clear that she comes from a good family. I know the prime minister’s position on the matter and all this is taken into account in making the decision. I said to Yaffa and I will say again – everything will be okay.”

Yaffa Issachar doesn’t make a statement to the press.

Naama Issachar was sentenced by Russia to 7.5 years in prison after nearly 10 grams of marijuana was found in her luggage during a layover in a Moscow airport in April. She has denied smuggling drugs, noting she had not sought to enter Russia during the layover on her way to Israel from India, and had no access to her luggage during her brief stay in the Russian airport.

Hebrew media reports have swirled that a deal for Issachar’s release is nearing completion.