Free Shaman Aziz
Peter Aziz, of Buckfastleigh, Devon learned the art of making Ayahuasca by spending years in the jungles of Peru. He was caught by an undercover policeman, as he provided the brew to a small group of followers in a healing ceremony. Ayahuasca contains the powerful hallucinogenic alkaloid DMT, which is a class-A drug in the UK.
Shaman Peter Aziz told the court he was helping his followers with his healing drink. "DMT has been shown to remove cancer, depression and drug addiction." He felt it wrong to liken DMT to substances such as heroin and cocaine.
Aziz made only € 11.500 a year and lived in a small two-bedroom house with his family. He is not a dealer who drives around in luxurious sports cars, but he genuinely cares for his followers. Even the judge agreed that Aziz had done a lot of good for his people, but that in the end the production of Class-A drugs is forbidden. "You knew it was wrong to produce this drug and you knew it was wrong to supply it, but produce and supply it you did."
An online petition has been started to help get Peter Aziz out of prison and back to practising and healing people. Click here to sign the petition to free Shaman Aziz.
