Sacred Mushroom Church Pastor Jailed in Switzerland, Faces USA Extradition

[Powder_Reality]

This is a letter that Pastor David of The Sacred Mushroom Church of Switzerland wrote to Marc Emery of Cannabis Culture.

Sacred Mushroom Church Pastor Jailed in Switzerland, Faces USA Extradition
by Pastor David (11 Jul, 2006)

Dear Marc Emery: I write this to you from prison in Switzerland. I’m in solitary detention here in a jail in Bern, unable to see my wife and children. I have been here since June 9th, 2006. My laptop, books and money have been confiscated. There is some kind of investigation of me in regards my Church of the Sacred Mushroom and our distribution of the wonderful mushrooms.

For years I tried to tell local Swiss officers of what I was doing: that I, Pastor David, was doing missionary work with the sacred mushrooms. I was ignored, now to be treated very harshly. They read my mail and perhaps are seizing correspondence sent to me. I am now in big trouble. My lawyer, jailers and the police have all said I may be extradited to stand trial in the United States for my mushroom work. I have been told that I have been indicted twice already by a US grand jury.

If you can, please publish news of my fate. I can be reached at:
Pastor David Schlesinger
Regionalgefängnis Bern
Zelle 309, Genfergasse 22
3011 Bern, Switzerland.
The mail will be read by authorities, so please be careful.

Swiss authorities have treated me like I’m the Taliban. I believe the Swiss are violating my citizenship by finding ways to have me extradited to the USA. If I make bail, I will inform you, but so far after four weeks I have no prospects for release. I’m being held without bail because officials see a “danger” of “collusion” as long as I can talk and write. I doubt my tongue and fingers will be cut off like worshippers of Teonanacatl experienced 500 years ago.

I asked for jurisdictional clearance from the police, they let me go on for years, and then when their ‘non-action’ was “understood” by me over these years, the police, without warning, raid me and put me in jail. I was naive, no doubt. But now I sit here waiting to find out if I will be sent to the US to spend my eternity in jail there.

My children of course do not understand, and my wife is heart broken. The religious community of Teonanicatl is now without support.

Teonanicatl bless you all,

Pastor David
In Jail in Bern,
Switzerland

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for posting this, very disturbing

[rxbandit]

im hope the good pastor is alright, this is truly criminal what they are doing to him... best of luck to him.

[Alfa]

Thanks for posting this. I wonder if we are allowed to send him postal stamps. If so, he will surely be greatfull for them.
David has been pushing the limits for some years now. But the consequenses of his mushroom sales may turn out way out proportion if he is extradited to the United Snakes. Does anyone have more info on his situation?

[Alfa]

He is in isolation for 23 hours a day and can only send or receive letters.
Interesting enough a few weeks before his arrest customers of the church received a fake emails asking them to confirm their account or to update the personal data.

[Powder_Reality]

If memory serves me correctly, the DEA pulled that same scheme to incriminate as many people as possible after arresting Marc Emery and shutting down Emery Seeds. The last few orders that were filed were confiscated and letters were sent to the return addresses. The letters stated that Emery Seeds had been raided and was financially in trouble. If the person wanted to receive his seeds, he would have to send an additional $50. By agreeing that they wanted the seeds, they would incriminate themselves and the DEA would have a valid reason to arrest them.

I found the article I had read. Check it out here: http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/4483.html

[anj0vis]

Interesting case.. I thought Switzerland was very independent from US pressure, but it seems I was somewhat wrong. I hope things will turn fine in the end, but it looks pretty bad.

[fatal]

this man violated no laws. by practicing his religion he is perfectly within his rights and this is bullshit.

[Alfa]

Like hell he didn't. His company shipped shrooms all over the world.

[bewilderment]

This is quite awful. I was waiting for him to be arrested (swim considered donating to the church but never did), but didn't expect for another marc emery-like situation to occur.

[Abrad]

Here's a link to an online petition if anyone feels like signing. Although I am skeptical that it'll do any good.

[dirk]

Abrad, I'm not attacking the sentiment of signing an online petition, but I think that online petitions are not taken seriously.

More importantly they can give rise to people thinking that they have "done thier bit" by signing it.

Peoples motivation to do something would be better utilised by sending conventional mail to the media and politicians of all persuasions.

In the UK the government does have a specific system for the submision of e-petitions. it was only after an unofficial petition had started that this was discovered during the run up to the UK's ban of fresh magic mushrooms.

It was much harder then to get support for the second, official, petition as many people probably thought that they had already done something by signing the first one.

[Abrad]

but I think that online petitions are not taken seriously.

Which is why I said this:

Although I am skeptical that it'll do any good.

I did not set up this petition nor do I have any connection to those who did. I just found it on the net and thought some people here may want to sign it. Doing so will certainly do no harm.

[Powder_Reality]

Pastor David, Held in Swiss Prison, Goes on Hunger Strike
by Jodie Emery (02 Aug, 2006) The transcription of Pastor David's hand-written letter to Marc and Jodie Emery

July 23rd, 2006. Dear Marc and CC Team: Here's David in Swiss detention writing again. I have been told that my letter to you was published on a forum - but naturally, I cannot check this, as I'm spending my 7th weekend in jail.

Almost no investigation seems to have taken place - I was interrogated one time about weird stuff I'm not allowed to talk about. A very simple and easy case is made to look complicated just to be able to keep me imprisoned without trial.

Therefore, from July 26th I'm starting a hungerstrike with total refusal of anything other than plain table-wafers. I'm expecting this to bring me into a hospital within days or few weeks, depending on the weather.

As Minister of Teonanacatl, I believe that it's time for this demonstration of my will to say no to the methods of Swiss officials who seem to use the same thought-patterns as Afghani Taliban - so I call them Swissliban now.

I feel I need to start the hardest possible hungerstrike to express my opinion in a way that leaves no doubts about my devotion for God, the human rights and our religion.

Thank you for your support!

Teonanacatl Bless you!
Pastor David