Pregnant UK woman faces death in Laos drug charge

British officials said on Monday they would continue to press for representation for a pregnant Briton facing trial in Laos on drug charges this week, but it was unclear when the case would be heard.

Under Laotian law, Samantha Orobator, 20, could face the firing squad if convicted, although the global human rights watchdog Amnesty International has said the country has an effective moratorium on capital punishment.

The British embassy in Bangkok said its vice-consul in Thailand arrived in neighbouring Laos over the weekend to assist Orobator, “in particular to make sure Samantha does have good legal representation,” a spokesman said.

Britain’s Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell has said he would also raise the case with the Laotian deputy prime minister when he meets him in London on Thursday, but campaigners have said they fear this may be too late. Orobator was arrested in August after allegedly being caught with 680 grams of heroin while trying to board a plane to Thailand.

With confusion surrounding when the trial will be held, the British diplomatic spokesman in Bangkok said on Monday: “All that we know is that it’s not today.”

This was confirmed by Khenthong Nuanthasing, a spokesman for the Laotian government. “The trial will be held this week but I don’t have the exact day,” said Khenthong, who at the weekend had also confirmed that a pregnant British woman was in detention facing trial on drugs charges.