Convicted for possessing a book

Convicted for possessing a book

Queensland's most dangerous book, The Book of Bud, has claimed its second victim. Steve Dimitriou, perennial Australian Marijuana Party candidate (he first stood as the AMP Senate candidate in South Australia in 1977) is the latest north Queensland cannabis activist to be charged under a new Queensland law that makes possession of books a criminal offence.

Dimitriou's Kuranda home was raided by detectives earlier in the year. Under the new laws, they took away his library.

On October 12, Dimitriou was charged with possession of The Book of Bud, The Sinsemilla Technique and Marijuana Botany.

He has also been charged with publishing the Australian Marijuana Party newsletter Cannabis News. This was for an issue which reprinted the controversial Simply Living article, "The Easy Guide to Growing Dope".

He is the first person to be charged with publishing a document under the new legislation.

Billy Tait, who was a cannabis law reform candidate in last year's Mundingburra by-election, was the first person charged under the new law. He was found guilty in the Townsville Magistrates Court on October 10 of possessing an unlawful publication, The Book of Bud. Tait is appealing his conviction.

Help End Marijuana Prohibition held a march and rally on October 28 to defend the rights to free speech of Tait and Dimitriou.

HEMP vice-president Tony Kneipp said, "I am surprised at the naked nature of the political repression in this case. The Queensland police force were blatantly using these new laws to repress pro-cannabis law reform activists.

"We call on the people of Queensland to support Billy Tait and Steve Dimitriou, even if you don't agree with their politics. Free speech is only free speech if it applies to things you most disagree with."

Kneipp was picked up for outstanding warrants at the free speech rally outside parliament. He is serving 15 days in jail.

From GLW issue 297