16 Zim women stuck in Asian jails, some likely to face death penalty if convicted

State media reports that SIXTEEN Zimbabwean women are stuck in Asian jails - 14 convicted of drug smuggling and two others awaiting the conclusion of their trial facing the death penalty if convicted.

Foreign Affairs Deputy Director legal and consular Mr Chris Mavodza warned people against the temptation to be used as mules by international smuggling syndicates.

Zimbabweans are tempted to be drug mules because of lucrative payments.

Mr Mavodza said in most some Asian countries, drug trafficking carries a mandatory death sentence or life imprisonment and there is little that any government in the world can do for its citizens who are convicted in that region.

The warning comes barely a week after China executed a South African woman, Janice Linden, for drug smuggling after rejecting appeals by the South African government to spare her life.

Linden was convicted in 2009 of attempting to smuggle 3kg of crystal methamphetamine in luggage through an airport in the southern city of Guangzhou.

She claimed innocence saying the drugs had been planted in her suitcase.

The trial court and two appeals courts rejected her plea.

Mr Mavodza described drug trafficking as a scourge afflicting most countries in the world saying combating it involves more than the Foreign Affairs ministry alone, but roping in law enforcement agents in other countries as well as Interpol.

According to Mr Mavodza, of the 16 women now in Asian jails, 14 are jailed in China where they have been convicted of offences ranging from drug trafficking to illegal ivory trade.

Eight are serving their sentences at the Beijing Women Prison, Beijing Second Prison and Tianjin Prison while six others are detained at the Guangzhou Prison.

Two Zimbabwean women are facing the death penalty in Malaysia after they were arrested for trafficking 7kg of cocaine worth US$900 000.

Faith Rusere and Joyce Tafadzwa Munhenga have denied the charges and claim the drugs were planted in their luggage without their knowledge.

"It has been observed that almost all of those convicted of drug related offences are female single parents aged between 27 and 37 years.

"Six of the convicts were sentenced to death while one lady sentenced to life imprisonment succumbed to illness and died on April 14, 2010," he said.

Once someone is convicted, there is little that the embassy can do except wait for the execution to take place or for the prison term to expire, but Mr Mavodza said the prisoners receive regular consular visits from Embassy officials.

"The Embassy also facilitates communication between prisoners and members of their families in Zimbabwe," he said.

It has emerged that international drug syndicates were targeting Zimbabweans to transport their consignments because it is thought that locals have lesser chances of raising suspicion as China and Zimbabwe enjoy very cordial relations and considerable trade.

According to the World Drug Report 2010, about one percent of people involved in trafficking in Pakistan are Zimbabweans hired by dealers to secure markets for the banned substances.

While South Asian countries hand down lengthy prison terms for traffickers, South East Asian, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern nations typically impose death sentences.

Air Zimbabwe, like all other airlines, warns passengers flying to these countries that they face the death penalty if caught carrying drugs and advises passengers not to accept packages from anyone.