[ASA Field]

Secure Justice for Russian Medical Marijuana Activists

Last Saturday in Moscow, protesters and sympathizers in a Russian Medical Marijuana march were beaten, arrested, and thrown in jail. At least seven activists were charged and convicted according to The Russian Administrative law for the propaganda of drugs (8230).

To highlight the injustice of these arrests and the brutality suffered by his fellow demonstrators, one of the seven convicted, activist Sergey Konstantinov is currently on a 15-day hunger strike. Many medical marijuana advocates throughout Russia are outraged at this gross violation of human rights and are concerned about the safety and health of the protesters.

In an act of solidarity for the medical marijuana protesters thrown in jail, ASA is calling on its members to write letters and make phone calls to the Russian Embassies in the U.S. demanding that they free the political prisoners and to express concern with police brutality in Russia.

In the United States there are Russian Consulates in Washington, D.C., New York, Houston, Seattle and San Francisco. Please visit the Russian Embassy website for addresses and phone numbers.

To read the media reports on the event, please visit:

StoptheDrugWar.org
Kommersant, Russia's Daily Online
The Moscow Times

Thank you to Richard Lake, Eugene Kazachenko, and Steve DeAngelo for bringing this pressing issue to light. ASA supporters, please do your part to stand up for the rights of medical marijuana activists throughout the world.

Thank you for your continued commitment to safe access!

[RooR69]

they will be out of the Russian jail in two weeks anyway. It's not America.

[Midnight Toker]

Originally Posted by RooR69

they will be out of the Russian jail in two weeks anyway. It's not America.

Are you serious? The KGB is back in charge, they could throw away the key to the jail cell and no one will ever know what happened to them.

[BrattonBasher]

Did you ever see the movie "Gulag"? Russian prisons are no good....

[RooR69]

I was kinda serious but hope nothing real bad happens. I heard on the news that they will be beaten during those two weeks and then released. So I don't think that they would say that and simply kill them.

They should have stayed underground and got high, they are in Russia after all. oh and never seen the movie Gulag, gotta check it out sometime.

[guido88]

This post is a joke. Clearly the ASA has no clue about personal freedoms or protests in Russia. Personal freedoms do not exist; the government will do as they wish with police corruption is the norm. No chance anyone is going to gulag for a minor offense, those days are over. These days the goal is to make money.

There is a police joke in Russia that’s true to life. A new policeman is given a badge, gun and expected to go out and generate his own salary.

The majority of Russian citizens 95% + view cannabis as a dangerous drug period. No chance the protesters will receive support from the Russian people. Any outside influence will be laughable to the powers that be. The KGB never left, only a name change occurred.

On a positive note a little cannabis is a small offense $ 30 will buy your way out of all minor issues in Moscow. One unlucky enough to land in jail for bigger crimes can easily gain freedom for a couple of hundred dollars. The Russian police have far more important and profitable crimes to deal with. The police force is merely an extension of the Russian mafia. Think of Mexico, Russia is identical in terms of corruption as a way of life.

It was an act of stupidity to protest; the seven arrested knew what the official. response would be. They also knew that actual risk was limited to a few days in jail or buying their way out.

Be cool do what you want, and stay off police radar, sound familiar?

Several times while in Moscow I have encountered cannabis, police extortion and a 1,000-ruble payoff to make the police go away. It’s a way of life and no big deal. They ask $100 you negotiate to $30 you’re on your way. It’s the same for tourists and locals alike if you know the rules and the solutions needed.

With that said I would be in Moscow tomorrow if my schedule allowed. Forget the old time propaganda;

Russia absolutely ROCKS! The club scene is unbelievable.

Guido88

[lacitymack]

Originally Posted by guido88

This post is a joke. Clearly the ASA has no clue about personal freedoms or protests in Russia. Personal freedoms do not exist; the government will do as they wish with police corruption is the norm. No chance anyone is going to gulag for a minor offense, those days are over. These days the goal is to make money.

There is a police joke in Russia that’s true to life. A new policeman is given a badge, gun and expected to go out and generate his own salary.

The majority of Russian citizens 95% + view cannabis as a dangerous drug period. No chance the protesters will receive support from the Russian people. Any outside influence will be laughable to the powers that be. The KGB never left, only a name change occurred.

On a positive note a little cannabis is a small offense $ 30 will buy your way out of all minor issues in Moscow. One unlucky enough to land in jail for bigger crimes can easily gain freedom for a couple of hundred dollars. The Russian police have far more important and profitable crimes to deal with. The police force is merely an extension of the Russian mafia. Think of Mexico, Russia is identical in terms of corruption as a way of life.

It was an act of stupidity to protest; the seven arrested knew what the official. response would be. They also knew that actual risk was limited to a few days in jail or buying their way out.

Be cool do what you want, and stay off police radar, sound familiar?

Several times while in Moscow I have encountered cannabis, police extortion and a 1,000-ruble payoff to make the police go away. It’s a way of life and no big deal. They ask $100 you negotiate to $30 you’re on your way. It’s the same for tourists and locals alike if you know the rules and the solutions needed.

With that said I would be in Moscow tomorrow if my schedule allowed. Forget the old time propaganda;

Russia absolutely ROCKS! The club scene is unbelievable.

Guido88

It's true I've being to many countries which are the same. Let me tell you this, paying off cops is REAL JUSTICE. When an average joe like me or you can toss 30 bucks for a minor offense instead of getting a 200 ticket and then having to goto court you know you are really living in freedom. Sure the protestors got their ass beat for standing up for their rights,and here in America we hate that. But.....like my friend said above they should've just stayed underground and smoked and if they got caught its just 30 bucks. Thats real freedom and justice not this bs we have here....get a ticket...goto court...pay fines....insurance goes up....just for sum minor infraction?? Our domestic cops need to be a little like Russia. Think about it ...with this current system US cops are already corrupt but the bueracracy is too intimidating....so you must be more powerful and wicked in order to have them to let you slide. In russia an average joe with 40 bucks can get off just like if their name was "Paris Hilton" .