Petition Launched To Free Grooverider

A petition has been launched calling on the Dubai government to release Grooverider from prison.

Of course, the much-loved drum n’ bass DJ was jailed in the UAE capital for four years last month for having a small quantity of cannabis and pornography DVDs on his person. He was due to play a DJ set in the city.

The country has a notoriously hardline stance against drugs, with those caught with even a small amount on their person facing tough sentences.

At the time of writing, the petition, which can be viewed (or signed if you see fit) here, had a total of 9,824 signatures.

London superclub Fabric has even sent an email round to all its members calling on them to sign the petition. The plea reads:

“As you may have heard, longtime FABRICLIVE resident and fabric family member Grooverider has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates because of the possession of a small amount of cannabis.

“While we’re not here to offer social or cultural commentary on another country’s values systems, we do question the procedures used in order to enforce them that has led to a jail sentence for Grooverider of four years, which in our opinions seems ridiculously excessive.

“We’d like to call on our fabricfirst members to take the time to sign this petition,” it continues, “in the hope that it might help challenge this sentence and proceed in the very least to having Grooverider deported home as soon as possible. Please feel free to pass this link on to your friends and family.”