Story By: Gheorghi Caraseni, Sub Editor:  Joseph Golder,  Agency: Newsflash

A Russian doctor has been sentenced to three years in a Belarusian prison after he entered the country with a cannabis-themed souvenir that actually contained 0.2 percent cannabis.

The Russian lymphologist, named as 34-year-old Vyacheslav Spiridonov, was enjoying a trip around Europe with his wife and friends when he encountered problems at the Belarus border.

According to local media, Spiridonov was in possession of a souvenir he innocently bought in Milan in Italy that was emblazoned with a cannabis leaf symbol.

Reports did not specify what kind of cannabis-themed souvenir the item was.

However, Belarusian border officials took an interest in the souvenir and the lymphologist was arrested.

According to reports, Spiridonov was denied a lawyer and was held for several days in the city of Brest before being sentenced to three years in prison.

The court explained that a substance was inside the souvenir which was found to have 0.2 percent of cannabis in it.

Spiridonov’s wife and friends unsuccessfully argued that no one intended to consume the substance in the souvenir.

Local media said they filed an appeal, but the court later decided that the case did not have any exceptional circumstances surrounding it to revisit the sentence.

In exceptional cases, Belarus courts may reduce a sentence if it is deemed to be beneficial to society or if there is a later confession or serious illness.

It is unclear whether Spiridonov’s family is able to appeal to a higher court to reduce or quash the sentence.

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