Even in prison, she would not change her position
Even in prison, she would not change her position |
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Futile were today's efforts of the lawyer Dr. Klara Vesela Samkova to obtain revocation of the accusation of her client Libuse Bushka Bryndova of Zlukov.
"Even if she were to spend fifteen years in toughest prison, her attitude would not change. My client does not consume the drug, she is treating herself with cannabis sativa", pleaded Samkova. However, the State Attorney did not comply with her wish, saying that she was required by the law to prosecute all crimes.
In July 2008 the fifty-three years old translator was sentenced by the district court to two months of prison with one year condition for the production and possession of psychotropic substances. Among other ways of application she was using cannabis for inhalations against her asthma. The Regional Appeal Court in December 2008 annulated the sentence and returned the case back to the district level.
Even today's session, however, did not relieve Bryndova of her indictment. This time, however, it was her own work: together with her lawyer they were insisting on personal participation of the expert witness, whose expertise on influence of cannabis treatment to asthma the court requested.
"The Court expert says clearly that cannabis has no therapeutic effects on asthma. This is a very bold statement given all those thousands of years in the history of healing and medicine, that cannabis has been used as a cure for asthma. The point is, however, whether the court expert ever really wanted to find such information," says Bryndova, who is considered to be a leading Czech expert on the use of cannabis. "Also, for the presentation of results of her cannabis treatments on the web site “Konopi je lek” (Cannabis is a Medicine – www.konopijelek.cz) she recently obtained a Government Award from the Prime Minister Fiser.
"Moreover, in the interest of this Court expert is not at all to admit that an herb might have better effects than drugs, because he is the head of the Pharmacological Institute at the Medical School of the Charles University. "However, together with Professor Lumir O. Hanus from the Hebrew University, who researches in the field of cannabis throughout all his life and is a recognized biochemist, we have found a number of studies claiming the opposite. Even in the patent of a new drug made of cannabis that is already registered in many European countries, it is stated that it is also for the treatment of asthma."And people can buy it," added Bryndova.
"Mrs. Bryndova never wanted to commit a criminal offense and by her best conscience she has never committed any. On the contrary, she is convinced to carry on a salutary work and the results of her healing suggest that her subjective feeling is correct. Even diseases that otherwise have a very bad course, when treated by cannabis have seen a great improvement. And therefore it is a bit absurd that she is being prosecuted," said Vesela.
In February she will stand again before the Court.
