A Canadian citizen, 22-year-old Simon Rovensky from Vancouver, traveled to the country of Georgia, located in Eastern Europe, with a friend. Georgia was one of several countries they planned to visit during their vacation.

Simon has ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), a diagnosis that was officially made by his family doctor in Canada. During the trip, he was carrying medication that had also been legally prescribed by a Canadian physician.

In another country, this likely would not have raised any concerns. However, in Georgia, the medication was prohibited from importation and classified as a narcotic substance. Under Georgian law, only a one-month supply of the medication may be imported, accompanied by a prescription translated into Georgian. Unfortunately, Simon did not have the prescription with him. The receipt for the medication, which he did have, was not accepted. Because Simon was unaware that the medication was prohibited in Georgia, he did not declare it at the airport and was subsequently detained.

The two young men were stopped at the border. They were subjected to many hours of questioning and a humiliating personal search. According to family members, customs officers conducted an extremely invasive inspection. The two were held for many hours without any understanding of what would happen next.

Simon was not allowed to call his family. All phones were confiscated. His friend, who was not carrying any medication, was released after seven hours. Simon, however, was taken to Gldani Prison.

For two days, Simon’s family lost contact with him. When they finally managed to reach a lawyer, they learned that a preliminary hearing would take place the following day, on Saturday. At that hearing, Simon was charged with two serious offenses: large-scale smuggling and the illegal acquisition and possession of narcotic substances. Under Georgian law, he could face between 8 and 20 years in prison.

As a result, Simon is being held at Gldani Prison until his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for June 25, nearly two months after his arrest. He is allowed only one hour of telephone calls per month and fifteen minutes of in-person visits per week. He shares a cell with five other convicted inmates. He is permitted thirty minutes of outdoor exercise per day. Visits from friends are prohibited. He is in a foreign country with no family members nearby who can visit or support him.

For the family, the situation has been catastrophic. His mother is raising three children on her own.

Simon is the eldest child in the family. He is a student and has two younger sisters. Their father died when Simon was only ten years old. Simon is now the only male member of the family.

The family is currently in a critical situation and urgently needs financial assistance. Legal representation alone costs US$7,000. According to the lawyer, there is an established practice in cases involving foreign nationals who find themselves in similar situations. If the court-imposed fine is paid to the state, the individual may be released from custody and deported from the country. The official fine expected to be imposed by the Georgian government before trial is estimated by the lawyer to be between US$30,000 and US$45,000 in this case.

For an ordinary family, this is an overwhelming amount of money.

Simon’s mother sought help from the Canadian embassy. However, she was told that the embassy could not intervene in judicial proceedings. The family feels that they have exhausted all hope of receiving assistance from the Canadian government.

Simon is in prison simply because he did not have a prescription with him. His family desperately needs help.

If you are able to help, please do so. Every dollar will go toward legal fees and payment of this enormous fine. It gives Simon’s mother and sisters hope that he will be able to come home.