PRO-MARIJUANA CAMPAIGNER APPEALS AGAINST CONVICTION

In north Queensland, one of Australia's most seasoned pro-marijuana
campaigners returns to court today, to clear his name on charges of
distributing "dangerous literature".

Steve Dimitriou, who has stood as a candidate in Federal and State
elections, says his 1997 conviction was a strike against free speech.

He was fined $400 for publishing information on how to cultivate cannibis
plants, in his newsletter "The Cannibis News".

Mr Dimitriou says his action in the Court of Appeal at Cairns will seek to
overturn the conviction.

"I'm not a dangerous person," Mr Dimitriou said.

"If I was a dangerous person, they would have done what the legislation says.

"They would have fronted me up before a judge in the first place, instead of
little out of the way Mareeba, and I would have faced 20 years in jail," he
said.

"And, had I been convicted, I would be behind bars for many years, but a
magistrates court can only give me a maximum of two years."

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett