Tunisian rapper A.L.A (Ala Ferchichi), known as “the spearhead of the Tunisian trap music scene,” must appear in court on Oct. 12. His arrest May 6 for possession of cannabis with intent to supply cannabis sparked a massive online protest.

However, after two days of pre-trial detention, the rapper was sent home May 8 to await trial. A.L.A’s lawyer, Ghazi Mrabet, said the artist might benefit from the 2017 drug law reform. “When it concerns a first offender, judges now can impose a fine or grant pardon after predetention instead of imprisonment,” Mrabet told Al-Monitor.

For the protesters, cannabis arrests are closely linked to police brutality and repression of youth culture. Hezb El Warka (Leaf Party), a movement seeking cannabis legalization, seized the occasion to start an online petition, calling on the government to legalize recreational cannabis use. Today, six weeks after its launch, the initiative continues to grow. 

Up until 2017, the Tunisian drug bill, commonly known as Law 52, had the reputation of being one of the world’s harshest drug laws, with a mandatory minimum of one year in prison plus a monetary fine of 1,000 Tunisian dinars ($350) for persons found guilty of possession of small amounts of drugs or its use.