Laos: Will Pregnancy Save British Woman's Life?

JAKARTA, Indonesia, May 5, 2009— -- A 20-year-old pregnant British woman accused of trafficking heroin in Laos may be spared the death penalty, after a government official reportedly said today that Laotian law prohibits executing pregnant convicts.

Samantha Orobator was arrested at Wattay International Airport in the Southeast Asian country Aug. 6, 2008, and charged with hiding 1.5 pounds of heroin in her luggage.

She has been held for the past nine months in Phongthong prison, where some believe she became pregnant.

"According to the Lao law, anyone who possesses over 500 grams (1.1 pounds) should be subject to death penalty," Laotian Foreign Ministry spokesman Khenthong Nuanthasing told The Associated Press. "But there is another provision of criminal law ... that the death penalty will not apply to pregnant woman."

The circumstances around the pregnancy are unclear, and she does not yet have legal representation, even though her trial was supposed to start this week, British authorities have said.

"We have been pressing the Laos authorities to ensure that Samantha has good legal representation," said a Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman who added that a vice consul is currently in Laos. "The British Government is opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances."

British authorities have not yet been able to confirm the provision regarding pregnant women and have been proceeding with the understanding that Orobator could face the death penalty if convicted, the spokeswoman said.

The British human rights group Reprieve flew a lawyer to Laos when authorities informed the group that Orobator's trial would start in 48 hours.

"Reprieve was supposed to have a meeting with Samantha today," spokeswoman Katherine Oshea told ABC News.

The meeting had been "scheduled last week in order to arrange for legal representation. That meeting was canceled by the Lao authorities, and we haven't heard why or been given any kind of reason," Oshea said.

Laos officials said they are working to get Orobator representation for the trial, which now is scheduled to start next week.

"It might take some time," Khenthong told the AP from the Laotian capital Vientiane, saying the government is compiling a list of lawyers, who must be Lao nationals, whom she could choose from and that the government would try to expedite the case.