Naama Issachar
Naama IssacharCourtesy of the family

Yaffa Issachar, the mother of the Israeli woman jailed in Russia for smuggling marijuana, will return to Israel on Sunday, Israel Hayom reported.

Yaffa Issachar left for Russia two months ago, and told media that she would not return until her daughter Naama is freed.

On Thursday, reports said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was planning to pardon Naama Issachar prior to his departure for Israel on Tuesday.

These reports have not been confirmed by any official sources, but Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Friday that he is "much more optimistic" about the prospects of Naama's release.

Issachar was convicted on drugs smuggling charges

Naama Issachar, an Israeli backpacker, was on her way home to Israel from India when she was found to be in possession of marijuana. In April 2019, Issachar was sentenced to a 7.5-year prison sentence in Russia.

Issachar appealed her sentence in December, but the court rejected her appeal. The family has since promised to appeal again, this time to the International Human Rights Tribunal in Strasbourg, France.