Police Releases Presidential Candidate for Organizing Cannabis Festival

Zurab Japaridze, Presidential candidate and the leader of the non-parliamentary opposition party Girchi, who was detained at the Cannabis Festival organized by him on October 20, has been released with other activists.

According to Girchi, a total of 13 people were arrested during the police raid.

Before holding the festival, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia released a statement and called on Japaridze not to hold the event, adding it was an illegal act.

"Fight against the spread of drugs is one of the main priorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the function of the police is to protect the law, eliminate abuse and timely prevent crime,” the Ministry stated.

However, the presidential candidate still held the festival and he was detained after he distributed joints to some people gathered at the event.

MIA reports that Japaridze allegedly shared cannabis with some people, which is illegal according to the criminal code of Georgia.

"As a result of the search, under expertise is a small quantity of drugs, that was obtained from two persons," MIA says.

Also, according to the agency, 6 people were arrested for minor hooliganism and the resistance to police.

MIA claims all the detained have been released.

After the activists were freed, an official Facebook page of Girchi wrote: “Thanks to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, we will all sleep in our homes tonight.”

According to the decision of the Constitutional Court of Georgia on July 30, the use of marijuana became legal, but the court also explained that imposing responsibility for the use of marijuana is in accordance with the constitution in cases where the particular case of consumption creates threats to third parties.

The draft law prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs aims to punish an illegal purchase, storage and transportation of a small amount of cannabis.

According to the bill, which is currently being discussed by the parliament, the use of marijuana for any purpose in the building, other than a person's place of residence, will lead to a fine from GEL 500 to 1000. If the violation is repeated the fine increases from 1000 to 1500 GEL.

The bill reads marijuana consumption is legal only in personal space. The exception is the use of marijuana under 21 which will be punished by administrative procedure – fine GEL 500 to 1000.