07/05/2007 01:00:00
Russia: Marijuana Activists Brutalized by Moscow Police During Annual
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Eugene Kazachenko distributed the following disconcerting report from
Moscow yesterday:
Dear sisters and brothers!
My name is Eugene Kazachenko. I'm from Moscow, Russia. Today, some
hours ago my friends from Marijuana march were arrested. They tried to
stretch the banner with calling to legalize marijuana. The goal of this
march was legalization marijuana for medical use. Now there are about 20
people arrested. The police was very cruel with marijuana activists.
With fear for life of our brothers and sisters my friends and I are
receiving periodical news of Radio station Ekcho Moskvy ("The Echo of
Moscow"). This is the only free radio channel, which real informs of
social and political life in Russia. It informs that Police has placed
people by faces on the ground. Police has dragged girls upon the ground
and has beaten young men. Policemen have banged young men by their faces
about parked cars. In the police department some young activist was
beaten so cruel that this has caused coming an ambulance.
The representatives of The Federal service of drug control have
accused all delaying activists in biased attitude to narcotics. Without
any reason they have accused participants of Marijuana March in
propaganda of narcotics. At the police department some policemen are
trying to plant the drugs to activists. However attorney was not passed
to his clients for legal defense. On entrance with the sub-machine-gun
in hands the policeman did not let to attorney to come into the door of
the police department.
Marijuana March was organized by Cannabis Legalization League. At
this moment all of delaying marijuana activists are in Presnentsky
administrative (misdemeanor) court of Moscow (phone number of this
court: +7 495 254-53-59). They are accusing for undertaking unsanctioned
meetings. This position of government disagrees with 31 articles of The
Constitutions of Russian Federation and Public International law.
Though many religious confessions concern with a rehabilitation and
spiritual counseling for drug abusers, however they never call any
attention in regard to the realistic position of medical cannabis.
Regrettably Christians and other religious circles of Russia do not
raise a voice in rights protection of drugs consumers from unjustified
state repression.
Because of unchangeable and increased repressive policy of Russia
in attitude to consumers of drugs the religious figures are positioning
itself apart of to questions of government drugs policy. Hypocritically
the majority of them tacitly agrees with official drug policy or on the
pattern of flattering politicians they loudly convicts all people, which
voice opinion for legalization hemp as a medicine.
With respect,
Eugene Kazachenko
MDiv of Moscow Theological Seminary
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle_blog/2007/may/06/marijuana_activists_brutalized_b
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12525
Author:
Drug War Chronicle via UKCIA
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