MOSCOW POLICE CRACK DOWN ON MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION ADVOCATES

Moscow police on Saturday suppressed a rally for the legalization of
marijuana, detaining 30 people and beating many more. Participants of
the Marijuana March were fined and sentenced to 15 days in jail.

The Marijuana Legalization League attempted to stage a rally in
downtown Moscow on Saturday to demand the legalization of marijuana
in Russia. Police detained the demonstrators, beating several people
with truncheons.

The rally was to become part of the Global Marijuana March which
brings protestors to the streets in cities all over the world. This
was the fifth attempt to stage the Marijuana Rally in Moscow.

City authorities have turned down an application to organize the
rally as "propagandizing drug abuse". The Federal Drug Control
Federation earlier urged Moscow to crack down on the possible
gathering "as tough as possible".

The detainees were charged with violation of rally regulations, and
propagandizing drug abuse. One of the demonstrators was sentenced to
15 days in jail. Six other people got ten-day jail terms and 3,500-ruble fines.