My friend’s 22-year-old brother a Vancouver student is in a high-security Georgian prison over a bottle of prescribed ADHD medication and needs our help
I’m posting this on behalf of a friend whose family is living through an absolute nightmare right now. Her 22-year-old brother, Simon Rovensky (a Vancouver student and resident), was detained at the border in the country of Georgia in late April while traveling.
He had his legally prescribed ADHD medication (Adderall) in his carry-on, in the original pharmacy bottle with his name on it. Because Adderall contains amphetamine salts, Georgia classifies it as a List I restricted narcotic. Since he didn't have a highly specific, officially translated and government-authenticated doctor's certificate at the exact second he hit customs, the Georgian government charged him with large-scale drug smuggling/illegal importation. He is facing 12 to 20 years
The story just broke nationally on CBC and CTV. He is currently in Gldani prison in Tbilisi, notorious for being one of the worst prisons l, locked in a bug-infested cell with six criminals for 23 hours a day “staring at a white wall”, with only 30 minutes of outdoor movement and only one hour of phone calls per month to speak to his family.
His official court and sentencing hearing is June 25th. The local defense lawyer has managed to negotiate a plea bargain for immediate deportation, but the court fine is going to be $50,000. His mother is a single mom raising three kids and they completely lack the funds to pay this state-sanctioned extortion to buy his freedom.
If you can help share this to keep pressure on Global Affairs Canada and our local Vancouver MPs to expedite diplomatic intervention, it would mean the world. You may search Simon Rovensky if you want to read the full details of what happened and/or help through the Go Fund Me his sister set up
Thank you, all. Let’s help get him home
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-man-georgia-detained-adhd-9.7225936