- by Scott Colothan
- Thursday, March 06, 2008
- filed in:
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.”
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- Why are we trying to get him out. No wonder this country is in a state. if you get caught, you do the time. He knew the UAE line on these things. Is this someone who also thinks they are a cut above the rest.
Leave him to get on with it.
- I agree
- he should never have agreed to go uae. I will never go there myself. I feel sorry for grooverider that he is in a hellhole.
- 2nd, stay away from those countries, they are pure evil. I guess he didn’t know... Dubai is only nice to people that bring in the money.
- are you lot heartless?
this is an injustice for such a petty thing regardless of there law
» View all 7 comments~ by Cocnee 3/6/2008
~ by anon 3/6/2008
~ by david 3/7/2008
~ by Tom 3/13/2008
~ by alexis 3/15/2008
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