Backpacker Tim Bouwens Released after 16 month sentence for Half a Spliff!
Fantastic news from the Philippines. Dutch backpacker Tim Bouwens is finally returning to the Netherlands after serving a 16-month sentence for possession of half a joint. Due to bureaucratic red tape, he has not been able to acquire the coveted final official paperwork to return home, but now he has finally been successful
Tim was travelling through Asia a day after he had attended a party in Thailand and was due to be flying to the Philippines. But he had forgotten, however, that he still had a half-smoked joint with him.
He was arrested at Manila airport and sentenced to a year in prison all over 0.624 grams of cannabis. He was released early after seven months but was prohibited from leaving the country. He was held in a detention centre, where the conditions are said to be almost as bad as being in prison.
‘I have now experienced a few times that people who were allowed to leave here, came back anyway. It turned out that a document was not in order at the airport. Some of them were still here for months afterwards. I think I will only feel discharged when my plane is out of Philippine airspace.’ -Tim Bouwens.
His parents and friends also remain cautious. Seeing is believing, is their motto. So what is Tim looking forward to doing as soon as he is back: ‘I will sleep at my parents’ house in any case! And hopefully, I can have a party with my friends and family. I need that.’ Tim’s family has set up a crowdfunding campaign to help him with the extra legal costs that he has incurred.
‘This article has been originally published here on Soft Secrets NL website
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L
Liz Filmer
