Cannabis Campaigners throughout the world are in uproar after hearing
about the sentencing of a British DJ in Dubai, for possession of a small
amount of cannabis.

Winston Matthews, a spokesperson for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance,
said: "BBC DJ Grooverider has been jailed for four years in Dubai after
he was caught at an airport with cannabis. The man has done no harm -
so where is the Justice in that?"

The 40-year-old - (Raymond Bingham) - was arrested at the Dubai's
airport on November 23 . He was charged with smuggling a very small
amount 2.16 grams of the drug into the country, accidentally having left
this little bit in a trouser pocket.

Four years is the minimum sentence for drug trafficking in the UAE and
the most serious offences are punishable by the death penalty.

Winston Matthews said: "He's a creative DJ and been with Radio 1 since
1998 and I am annoyed that the BBC doesn't seem to be backing him.

"The prosecution of victimless cannabis users even in this country, in
unjust enough, but a long prison sentence for such a small amount is
beyond even the UK courts. Here GrooveRider would probably have been
cautioned.

"Officials are taking rotten approach to drug possession. In the last
12 months 64 British nationals have been arrested in the UAE for drugs
offences. How many have actually done any harm. For sure the laws
against drugs do more harm than good to the very people they are meant
to protect. GrooveRiders life will have been ruined, not by cannabis
but by outdated and unjust laws" ( Foreign Office. figures)

"DJ Grooverider has two weeks to appeal. We demand that our government
insists that he is treated with the same penalty that he would have
over here."

NOTES for Editors:

Legalise Cannabis Alliance, PO Box 2883, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 9EE, UK
 http://www.lca-uk.org/

Winston Matthews +44 7940528821  WinstonMatthews@lca-uk.org

Countries with Death Penalty:  http://www.ccguide.org.uk/deathpenalty.php

World Map of Cannabis Laws (unconfirmed)
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:World-cannabis-laws.png