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First
Marijuana
Rally in
Tbilisi |
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Drug Policy
Georgia |
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Levan
Jorbenadze |
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Legal
Advisor/Attorney |
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June 2, 2013 |
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Today
on
June
2,
2013
the
first
such
scale
marijuana
rally
“2.06”
held
in
Tbilisi
made
history,
organized
via
facebook
event
by
rally
management
group
called
“We
Demand
Marijuana
Legalization”.
This
facebook
page
-
“We
Demand
Marijuana
Legalization”
created
on
07/14/2010,
and
as
for
June
2,
2013
had
almost
5,704
Likes.
The
event
with
a
demand
of
marijuana
decriminalization
via
facebook
was
carefully
planned
some
months
ago
and
as
for
June
2,
at
14:00
had
some
12,396
going
confirmed
participants.
The rally participant gathered on Rustaveli
Av.
in
front
of
former
parliament
building
demanding
for
decriminalization
of
marijuana.
The
organizers
of
rally
with
the
facebook
page
called
“We
Demand
Marijuana
Legalization”
but
for
now
demanding
decriminalization
with
quite
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carefully
formed
demands in
three
points: 1.
our goal is
to protect
personal
liberty and
not to
popularize
marijuana;
2. maybe the
use of
marijuana
not
preferred
but in the 21st
century a
state
prosecution
of users
unacceptable
for a
civilized
world. 3. we
think that
there should
be a
categorization
of drugs –
marijuana
should be
separated
from those
drugs which
are subject
to criminal
prosecution
and to be
decriminalized
the use of
this drug.
The
administrative
fine with a
reasonable
amount
should be
imposed only
for using
marijuana in
the public
places.
Prior to the
“2.06 rally”
as reported
by
United Press
International
David Sergeyenko
the Minister
of Health,
affiliated
to the
ruling party
Georgian
Dream on May
10 during
the press
conference,
pointed out
"ban-related
mechanisms,"
such as
Georgia's
laws against
marijuana,
"often
entail a
ricochet
effect,
which means
strengthening
and
development
of other
directions,"
a reference
to
distinguishing
marijuana
from other
drugs. He
added the
issue
requires a
"well-considered
strategy"
and said the
legalization
of marijuana
could be a
part of it.
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At a
time
president
Saakashvili,
now
as a
leader
of
minority
political
party
while
meeting
with
the
students
said
that
during
his
political
party
leadership
it
was
a
stupidity
to
arrest
people
for
marijuana.
Prior to the parliamentary elections
the
Political
Coalition
“Georgian
Dream”
in
its
political
program
declared
to
amend
the
criminal
prosecution
of
drug
use,
keeping
and
purchase
in
small
quantities
(see
p.
11).
However
the
new
majority
party
Georgian
Dream
is
in
power
since
October
2012
parliamentary
elections,
but
until
now
there
are
no
changes
of
zero
tolerance
policy.
Also
the
Ministry
of
Internal
Affairs
still
opposing
any
drug
policy
liberalization,
in
addition
in
the
newly
introduced
2013
police
system
development
strategy
document
drug
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users are
identified
as potential
lawbreakers
who are
involving
others in
drug usage
(see
subparagraph
4.2.1.4).
Georgia still has one of the harshest
drug
policies in
the region
and many
individual
victims and
families on
account.
According to
the current
legislation
drug use,
keep and
purchase
for the
purpose of
personal use
in small
quantities
(5 gr. in
case of
marijuana)
punishable
either by
fine 500 GEL
or
administrative
imprisonment
up to one
month, while
during a one
year if
busted
second time
a drug user
is the
subject to
the criminal
prosecution
with the
highest
fines which
might be
some 5000
Gel and
imprisonment
up to one
year.
However
because of
inhuman and
unclear
practice
most of the
drug users
prosecuted
under
article 260
of criminal
code with up
to 11, 7-14
years or
life
imprisonment
and
deprivation
of
fundamental
civil
rights.
There are no
categorization
of drugs and
any
practical
distinction
between
dealers,
casual
users,
commercial
dealers and
dependent
users.
As reported the commission at the
Ministry of
Justice is
still
working on
the
amendments
to the drug
legislation
which
supposed to
be submitted
to the
parliament.
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