A young Icelandic couple traveling in Brazil has been imprisoned in Fortaleza in Brazil and now awaits trial. The couple was found carrying cocaine in condoms in their suitcases. The girl a 20 year old imprisoned along with her 26 year old boyfriend in late December. The pair sits in a 30-day custody detention pending trial and could face a sentence of up to fifteen years and no less than five.
“In our eyes she’s innocent”
The girl is presently locked up in a woman’s prison built for 350 women currently holding 700 inmates according to her father. Her father appeals to Icelanders to participate in a collection to fund her legal costs. “In our eyes she’s innocent” her father pleads, “people have to see that she is not the perpetrator in such a case” The funding is to insure her basic needs are met, her rights and her legal aid insured, which is not to be taken for granted in Brazil and doesn’t come cheap. He goes on to say that though the family has some funds to spend, they don’t have “millions in their back pockets” so they desperately need help. The girl´s closest family members have been the most active in the collection up until now although compassionate individuals, strangers to the family have also contributed.
For those who might want to contribute to the collection the bank is Islandsbanki, account no:515-14-414444 and personalnumber:590116-0920.
The foreign ministry of Iceland also assists the families of the youngsters in gathering information, legal aid, interpreter and such. According to the ministry the Icelandic government cannot directly get involved in individual cases such as this one with out the families directly and formally requesting help, which they have done.