BANGKOK, Nov 27 (TNA) – Thailand transferred three Iranians, involved in a 2012 bomb plot to Tehran for humanitarian reasons, said Thanee Saengrat, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It was not involved a prisoner swap, he said.
The transfer of Iranians came after Kylie Moore-Gilbert, an Australian academic, imprisoned for more than two years on espionage was released from Iran’s Evin prison on Wednesday.
Two of the Iranians were sent home under the prison transfer agreement while one received a pardon. Returnees are supposed to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home country, he said.
Prisoner transfer was different from extradition. Prisoners have to submit their requests for the transfer to their home countries. After the approval, the transfer then can proceed.
Meanwhile, extradition is a bilateral agreement between Thailand and another country. Prisoners to be extradited must be convicted of the same offences in both countries excluding political prisoners, he added. (TNA)