Free Peter Aziz

Peter Aziz, a shaman who has been practicing for 35 years was sentenced to 15 months in prison in England for supplying patients with Ayahuasca. He was secretly caught on film taking money in exchange for letting others drink some of the brew. The trial is the first of it's kind in the UK, and has set a precedent for DMT in court.

Mr. Aziz was sentenced for producing a class "A" drug and on two counts of supplying. Dr Charles Shepherd, the man who went undercover to investigate Mr. Aziz, was happy with the result of the trail, claiming that DMT should be treated the same way as heroin or cocaine. He noted that at the ceremony he saw was "people vomiting into buckets having serious hallucinations". The judge in the case connected to Mr. Aziz, saying that he could see he, "wholeheartedly had done a lot of good for a lot of people", but in the end determined that the drug was dangerous nonetheless.

A petition has been created to help get Peter Aziz out of prison and back to practicing and healing people. This is a landmark case, as it is the first of its kind, so this is the time to send a message to the lawmakers. Please click here to sign the petition.

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Comments

Sign a badly written petition?

Submitted by Lunk Rat on Fri, 09/16/2011 - 17:30.

This petition makes many unfounded claims and contains multiple spelling and grammatical errors.

It is an embarrassment. Why is it on RS?

If you signed it, please read it again and ask yourself again if you think it will help DMT's public image . . .

Petition Overview:

Target: Bristol Crown Court

Sponsored by: Shamans World Wide

Shaman Peter Aziz age 51, was recently jailed for 15 months for supplying Ayahuasca to his patients. The main compound found in this visionary healing drink is DMT. This compound is listed as a Class A drug. However every single person on this planet takes that drug every night when they go to sleep. DMT is naturally formed in the Penial Glad in the brain it is what gives you dreams. DMT has shown to remove Cancer, Depression, Drug Addiction, even rewrite your DNA code and best of all these amazing effects it can be done in one dose. Its your body you should be able to take natural substances instead of a lab created medicine, at least you know whats in your natural remedy's.

And the actual petition:

Recently you have jailed a Mr. Peter Aziz. I find this matter worrisome to say the least. I am voicing my opinion that he did nothing wrong. Doctors can practice experimental treatments killing hundreds of thousands each year but yet Peter cant give his patience a treatment they requested that's been practiced for longer then this land has been charted. DMT the main compound in Ayahuasca is administered to every, man women and child on this planet every night when they sleep. That chemical is naturaly produced in the brain. It is what causes dreams. you have jailed a giver of dreams.. There have to be better ways to spend your money.

Yep

Submitted by Ken Jordan on Sat, 09/17/2011 - 17:25.

I agree, it's a badly written petition. But it already has hundreds of signers, who clearly support Aziz's release, whatever they think of the way the petition is languaged. Is there another petition we could point people to as an alternative?

Fully agree

Submitted by lacey on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 15:21.

This is a hugely important issue and deserves to be represented with a well thought out, well written statement.

Badly written petition

Submitted by oldbag on Sat, 09/17/2011 - 14:25.

I agree, it is very badly written and from what I've read on other boards Peter and his partner would have liked to have re-worded it. It's a shame as it blunts the effectiveness of it. Some people have signed it anyway and made comments to this effect. Thanks RS for covering the story though - I think it's an important case to highlight.

perhaps

Submitted by Wahkeena Sitka Huva on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 18:34.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to write a new petition for Mr. Aziz and get it put on Avaaz - and they could get it sent out to a few hundred thousand people! http://vocal-alchemy.com

Do not

Submitted by rw3 on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 18:37.

just randomly sign petitions if you do not read the fine print. I just discovered this. Oh dear. Any possible way to get taken off the list?

a second on Avaaz

Submitted by suilleabhain on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 19:44.

also - i didn't read the petition properly before i signing it... but in principle peter aziz needs support, but equally the medicine should be intelligently contextualized. i think people need to be more responsible so that the vine does not get marginalized or compared to lower substances (which i find offensive). reading the BBC article about this arrest: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-14762782 was very shocking - if an undercover cop was there i cannot imagine the confusion meeting the medicine would cause in that person - and the subsequent misrepresentations that could grow out of it... if possible an intelligent and clear statment should be rewritten and offered to the petition site - and if someone can recommend this to avaaz it would certainly be useful for peter...

Agreed

Submitted by rw3 on Sun, 09/18/2011 - 21:56.

This petition is a "spore" to start getting wider support. Maybe someone could collaborate with Remi to get a more sound and in depth petition? Either way, we all should take responsibility for the sacred vine.

I agree,

Submitted by Ru Callender on Tue, 09/20/2011 - 08:22.

this petition is embarrassing. Perhaps we could get Avaaz on it. I live very near where Peter Aziz lives, and this prosecution is just the beginning. There are two other locals waiting for trial, one for possession of gallons of pre-prepared ayahuasca, and another for importing mimosa. Peter's outcome does not bode well. Having said that, if you have ever been to Western Super Mare, it is the last place I would like to have any religious ceremony in, especially a hotel. Set and setting-not! If you live in the UK our government has introduced a system called E petitions, largely used by the right wing, but as effective way of getting yourself heard as any. Any UK readers interested?

however

Submitted by Ru Callender on Tue, 09/20/2011 - 14:04.

I think healers and shamans need to be very careful regarding the claims they make about Ayahuasca healing cancer.

carried away

Submitted by SirRealEyes on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 05:01.

yes, there are lessons to be learned here. peter is paying because his enthusiasm got the better of his common sense, seems to me.

they don't burn witches anymore, but they'll happily chuck you behind bars, steal all your newt-eyes & limit your liberty...

caution is advised.

we all know how big & powerful the medicines feel, and how they seem to loom large beyond the tiny specks of human concerns, but we are these humans - living in a fucked up human world, so let's not get carried away & start shouting from the rooftops about grey-area (or outright illegal) activities that we like to indulge in. and we should really think long & hard before offering the opportunity to others, no matter how strongly we feel it's the good stuff... there are very real practical concerns.

if you want to give ayahuasca to people follow your 'faith' thru to the end & let them seek you out - network don't advertise. if you're recruiting from the general public, even the new age fringe, & not working your mojo in more refined ways, then you're basically being provocative & putting everybody's access to the medicines at risk, likewise making inflated claims about healing, or really: claims to healing at all!!!

don't poke your finger thru the railings, the beast will bite.

& feel free to debate a little with your fairy godmother, she's not always right.

A great article on UK Misuse of Drugs Act and misapplication

Submitted by Soldado Jo on Tue, 09/27/2011 - 07:59.

Class A for ayahuasca By Darryl Bickler – Solicitor and founder member of the Drug Equality Alliance, darryl@drugequality.org --------------------------------------------------------- A great piece on UK law written by someone I consider to be at the forefront of people challenging the misapplication of UK drugs laws right now, anyone who is in touch with or wants to help would be advised to maybe look at this fresh approach to challenging Peter's situation. I am no great mind but I hold the author in very high esteem. I found it on UK420 but it is from http://www.bialabate.net/

Opportunity for more signatures

Submitted by julianhaynes on Tue, 10/18/2011 - 17:07.

Hi There, An article about Ayahuasca and my pyramid project in Peru is appearing in the December issue of Vanity Fair coming out in 2 weeks. Follow ups from this article will channel thru to my Facebook account. https://www.facebook.com/julianpyramid It could be many eyes that are interested and sympathetic to Peter's case ? Naturally I am already trying to get people to sign the existing petition but i vote that you guys create a second petition and get the wording better. Lets aim for 100,000! Please feel free to post anything connected to Peter's case on my Facebook wall if it helps, I will not consider this spam. Thank you Julian Haynes www.julianhaynes.com

FleshPrism, when you know

Submitted by julianhaynes on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 11:54.

FleshPrism, when you know that something is right and that it will help other people you should be able to sing it from your heart as loudly and as sweetly as you like otherwise we are not free. Peter will learn that healing should never take prescribed payment, if a donation is to be made it is completely voluntary of the patient upon receiving good service In the mean time the UK courts have insulted Amazonian Shamanism. The most sacred plant of the indigenous people is being coupled with drugs that are known to wreck people's lives. After all the hospitality that the Shaman showed to me, I am ashamed to be an Englishman on hearing the judges rule on this whole affair

I mean, how dare they?

Submitted by julianhaynes on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 12:02.

Ayahuasca is one of the most sacred experience that a human being can undertake. It has the power to teach Mankind that the spirit world exists, yes, Higher Intelligence really is at the driving seat of this reality. ...That the mainstream Godless view of reality pedalled by the media has robbed the common man of his spirituality. Even the language of science, 'Physics', has restricted analytical method and some very great thinkers by having them focus their research on experiments confined to the material reality. Well, we have to stand together and get Peter released. We expect that he will be treated by his captures in a decent and humane way, in accordance with all the laws of God

Ayahuasca has proven to be a

Submitted by julianhaynes on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 12:16.

Ayahuasca has proven to be a plant medicine that is taken with great care by responsible people that are seeking to understand more of this amazing life. It in no way hurts anybody. The physical reactions of purging are well know to help the body clear out toxicity, only the ignorant would think that this is a symptom of a dangerous drug. Ayahuasca is a very safe experience and the fact that it is now being denied to citizens in this country is a criminal act because it contravenes our religious rights Ayahuasca is not prejudice to whom it teaches. We can all learn from her. Peter must be released immediately until Ayahusca can be proven not to be a religious experience because that has been the peaceful status quo for some time

Some of the best minds of

Submitted by julianhaynes on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 12:27.

Some of the best minds of our times; Terence Mckenna, Graham Hancock, Jeremy Narby including brilliant artists; Pablo Amaringo, Martina Hofmann... MANY MORE! are showing us that Ayahusca can bring a valuable dimension to culture This attack against Peter Aziz was under cover and under hand. I am demanding, from the stand of a free English man, that Peter be freed immediately. How dare the authorities class Ayhuasca with the likes of street heroine and cocaine - it is a disgrace to the intelligence of our culture

It is well know now that

Submitted by julianhaynes on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 12:54.

It is well know now that many of our society's decision makers hold respected positions in private societies that hold a high interest for the esoterical. For example the entrance requirement of Free Masonary is a belief in a higher intelligence and a number of judges and professionals enjoy membership of such places. Ayahusca is a key tool in furthering the knowledge of the esoterical. Shaman in Peru are no less respectful of the spirits as the Western approach. It is an insult that their approach is deemed as illegal when Westeners, such as myself and Peter, want to learn about their ways. This is discrimination against religious freedom As far as claims on cancer are concerned. The FDA has a rule that people are not allowed to voice open opinion on their cancer healing belief now? This is an infringement of freedom of speech. What exactly is the charge here anyway?

Update: So I clarified with

Submitted by julianhaynes on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 16:09.

Update: So I clarified with Sam, Peters girlfriend. The charge raised was manufacture and supply of a class A drug.

Questioning

Submitted by julianhaynes on Wed, 10/19/2011 - 17:06.

Did the foresensics show that the Ayahusca that Peter was serving contained DMT? If they didn't they have no evidence, if they did they need to specifiy the type of DMT etc.

(I understand that the DMT referred to in the 'A' classification of 'drugs' is the cystal DMT that is artificially manufactured and smoked).