Australian Appeals Fine
For Publishing Information
On How To Grow Cannabis Plants; "Dangerous Literature"
(Ed. note: Such
cases are not to be taken lightly, but they are not quite the same as censoring advocacy.)
See
"A Duty To Censor
Adults" Ottawa Citizen Editorial Says, "The whiff of press censorship is
unmistakable."
June 22, 1998
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
comments@your.abc.net.au
http://www.abc.net.au
PRO-MARIJUANA CAMPAIGNER APPEALS AGAINST CONVICTION
In north Queensland, one of Australia’s most seasoned
pro-marijuana campaigners returns to court today, to clear his name on charges of
distributing "dangerous literature".
Steve Dimitriou, who has stood as a candidate in Federal and State elections, says his
1997 conviction was a strike against free speech.
He was fined $400 for publishing information on how to cultivate cannabis plants, in
his newsletter "The Cannabis News".
(Ed. note: The
Australian dollar is a little less than 60 cents US.)
Mr Dimitriou says his action in the Court of Appeal at Cairns will seek to overturn the
conviction.
"I’m not a dangerous person," Mr Dimitriou said.
"If I was a dangerous person, they would have done what the legislation says.
"They would have fronted me up before a judge in the first place, instead of
little out of the way Mareeba, and I would have faced 20 years in jail," he said.
"And, had I been convicted, I would be behind bars for many years, but a
magistrates court can only give me a maximum of two years."
Supported