An Indonesian man was jailed Wednesday for eight months after authorities discovered him growing medical marijuana without a permit in order to alleviate the suffering of his cancer-stricken wife.
Indonesia’s drug laws are some of the most draconian in the world, and the government has pushed an increased crackdown on illegal drug usage in an attempt to curb the growing problem, Reuters reported. Although Fidelis Arie Sudewarto was merely growing marijuana to ease his wife’s pain, the court at Borneo Island ruled that he had violated laws by supplying it to another person, even though he himself was not a dealer.
Following Sudewarto’s arrest, his wife passed away from advanced cancer. According to the Wednesday ruling, Sudewarto will be jailed eight months and fined $75,000 USD.
Sudewarto’s arrest and subsequent imprisonment stirred outrage from activists. “He did that planting for his love of his wife. He should not be jailed for loving his wife,” Andreas Harsono from Human Rights Watch said.
Sudewarto is currently held at Sanggau Correctional Institute, and his family is deciding whether or not to make an appeal to the court.
“Any decision won’t make his wife come back,” Sudewarto’s sister told Reuters.
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