Dutch National Who Owned Cannabis Farm in Denpasar Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison

The panel of judges at the Denpasar District Court (PN) has sentenced Dutch national Nirul Rashim Abdoelrazak to three years in prison for the possession and cultivation of cannabis plants. The verdict, read on Tuesday (23/6/2026), was far lighter than the public prosecutor’s (JPU) demand of nine years’ imprisonment.

During the sentencing, Nirul appeared to follow the proceedings from a wheelchair, accompanied by an interpreter. The man, who works as a freelancer and music producer, looked calm as he listened to the ruling read by the panel of judges.

In the 87-page verdict, the panel chaired by Iman Luqmanul Hakim declared Nirul legally and convincingly proven guilty of unlawfully maintaining more than five Class I narcotic plants.

The panel rejected Nirul’s defence that the cannabis was used to help treat several illnesses he suffers from. However, Nirul’s health condition remained one of the mitigating considerations for the sentence.

“Adjudicating, sentencing the defendant Nirul Rashim Abdoelrazak to a prison term of three years,” stressed Chief Judge Iman Luqmanul Hakim while reading the verdict.

In addition to the prison sentence, the judge also imposed a fine of Rp 510 million. If the fine is not paid, the defendant’s assets will be seized and auctioned. If the auction proceeds are insufficient, it will be replaced with 141 days of imprisonment.

“The period of arrest and detention already served by the defendant shall be fully deducted from the sentence imposed, and the defendant is ordered to remain in detention,” the judge continued.

After the trial, the defendant’s legal counsel, Yosef, expressed appreciation for the panel’s consideration of the humanitarian aspects of the case.

“From the beginning, what we requested from the panel was to consider the humanitarian aspect of this case. We are grateful that this consideration was ultimately accommodated in the verdict,” he said.

According to Yosef, during the trial his team presented a number of medical records showing that his client indeed had a history of illness and required ongoing treatment.

“The act of cultivating cannabis was done for medical needs. Our client had previously undergone treatment in Thailand and received a prescription for CBD use from the doctor treating him,” he said.

In addition to suffering from haemorrhoids, for which he recently underwent surgery, the defendant is also said to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bronchitis, and several other health conditions.

“Last week he underwent haemorrhoid surgery. Additionally, there is PTSD and several other illnesses that we have proven during the trial,” Yosef explained.

Nevertheless, the panel maintained that the use or cultivation of cannabis cannot be justified under the laws applicable in Indonesia. Therefore, the criminal element as stipulated in Article 111 paragraph (2) of Law Number 35 of 2009 on Narcotics was declared proven.

After the verdict was read, the defendant, through his legal team, stated that he accepted the sentence. Meanwhile, public prosecutor I Made Lovi Puspawan is still considering the next legal step.

Interestingly, after the trial, Nirul briefly covered his face and body with a sheet of paper reading “Music Brings Us Together”. The message drew the attention of courtroom attendees. Previously, his legal counsel also revealed that the defendant has a great interest in music and often independently produces musical works.

During the trial, the defendant had even hoped that his confiscated mobile phone could be returned because it contained a number of his music recordings. However, the panel decided that evidence related to the case remains seized in accordance with applicable legal provisions.

The case began with a raid conducted by the Bali Police Narcotics Directorate at a house on Jalan Bina Kusuma IV, Ubung Kaja, North Denpasar, in October 2025. At the location, police found 14 cannabis plants grown hydroponically, along with dozens of seedlings and various plant cultivation equipment.

Previously, prosecutors had sought a nine-year prison sentence and a fine of Rp 1 billion, subsidiary to 140 days of confinement. However, the panel handed down a three-year prison sentence after considering several mitigating circumstances, particularly the defendant’s health condition requiring medical treatment.