American basketball player faces death penalty in Indonesia for cannabis candy

Jarred Shaw, an American basketball player suffering from Crohn's disease, has been held for six months in a Jakarta prison after being arrested for importing cannabis candies at Indonesia, a country known for its uncompromising anti-drug laws.

The 35-year-old athlete, who played for the Prawira Bandung, risks the death penalty or life imprisonment for what he describes as a means of relieving his chronic pain.

«What they consider a drug, I consider a medicine».»

In an interview with Guardian from his cell, Jarred Shaw explained that he consumed cannabis for relieve symptoms of Crohn's disease, an incurable inflammatory bowel disease

«I use cannabis as a medicine. I suffer from Crohn's disease, which is incurable, and no medicine other than cannabis can relieve my stomach pain,» he said.

The package that led to his arrest contained 132 cannabis candies, weighing approximately 869 grams and worth around 400 dollars. Indonesian authorities have charged him with possession of nearly a kilo of cannabis, a figure that includes the non-cannabic components of the candy.

«They act like I'm a big drug dealer,» Shaw said. «Why would I bring these candies here to sell? It was for my own personal use.»

From basketball glory to prison isolation

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Shaw was a member of the Prawira Bandung team that won the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) in 2023. During the off-season, he lived in Thailand, where laws on cannabis are much more lenient.

Having experienced painful relapses when he didn't have access to cannabis in previous seasons, Shaw says he made the mistake of importing edible products for symptom management.

«I made a stupid mistake,» he admitted. «But that mistake should not warrant the death penalty or a long prison sentence.»

Shaw was arrested last May when Indonesian police intercepted the package at his home. Since then, he has been held in a Jakarta prison, awaiting his first court appearance. He told reporters that the first two months of his detention had been «the worst time» of his life, adding that he had felt «powerless and alone».

Following his arrest, Shaw was sacked by his club and permanently banned from the Indonesian league. He has since launched a fundraising campaign which has raised over €10,000 to cover his legal costs.

Severe penalties under Indonesian drug law

Indonesia applies some of the toughest drug laws in the world, where even small quantities of narcotics can lead to capital punishment. More than 500 people, including nearly 100 foreigners, are currently on death row, most of them on death penalty charges. drug-related offences.

Ronald Sipayung, Chief of Police at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, said authorities were «continuing the investigation to dismantle the international drug trafficking network behind this case and prevent trafficking».

Shaw insists that he had no intention of distributing the candy to others, despite reports that police had intercepted messages suggesting that he would share it with his teammates.

«It's just a difference in culture,» he said. «What they consider a drug, I consider a medicine.»

A case attracting international attention

The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta confirmed that it was aware of the case, but declined to comment. Observers compared Shaw's situation to that of other Americans detained abroad for cannabis-related offenses, like Marc Fogel, a teacher arrested in Russia for possession of medical cannabis and then designated as «wrongly detained», or Brittney Griner, the WNBA star imprisoned in Russia for cannabis possession before being released following diplomatic negotiations.

It is not certain that the Shaw case will receive similar attention from the US government. For the time being, he remains in an uncertain legal situation: a professional athlete facing the most extreme penalty for a medical practice which, in many parts of the world, is becoming increasingly accepted.

«This mistake should not justify the death penalty,» he said. «I just want to go home.»