Canadian Citizen Sentenced To Life In Dubai Prison For Possession Of Medical Marijuana
A 64-year-old medical marijuana patient from Mississauga, Ontario is facing a life sentence in a Dubai prison. According to a report from Detained in Dubai, a human rights organization with UAE civil and criminal justice specialists, Canadian carpenter Maurice Kevin O’Rourke was transiting through Dubai when he was charged with transporting medical marijuana.
O’Rourke suffers from the rare and life-threatening Addison’s disease. To manage chronic pain, his doctor prescribed CBD oil and cannabis, which are legal in Canada without a prescription.
On July 3, after being searched at Dubai International Airport he was detained, as police found the CBD oil and cannabis in his luggage. His wife, Pamela O’Rourke, said he was taken to Al Awir prison where he has been since July.
Pamela shared that since his arrest, he has developed new health complications affecting his immune system as he has no access to his medicine. “He contracted an MRSA infection, had 2 emergency surgeries, spent 40 days in hospital and has subsequently been fighting an infection,” she said. “He has an open wound in prison, in three months he went from being strong and healthy to being in a wheelchair. It’s been incredibly distressing and life threatening for him.”
On Oct. 31, O’Rourke was sentenced to …