American basketball player faces death penalty in Indonesia

Jarred Shaw, a 6’11 » American center well known in the Indonesian championship, is going through the darkest period of his life. The 2023 Indonesian champion with Prawira Bandung and last seen wearing Tangerang Haks jersey, the former Utah State college player has been incarcerated for five months in Jakarta. His alleged crime: cannabis possession. But for the player who just turned 35 a few days ago, this substance isn’t a drug, but a treatment for his Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition.

From champion to prisoner

Having arrived in Indonesia three years ago, Jarred Shaw had established himself as one of the most dominant big men in the league. Averaging 18 points, 9 rebounds and 1.7 assists for a 22 efficiency rating in 25 minutes across 69 games between Prawira Bandung Satria Muda and Tangerang, he was one of the league’s standout figures. But since his arrest at Soekarno-Hatta airport, the American player has been living a nightmare. According to local authorities, Shaw was arrested for drug possession and now faces life imprisonment or even capital punishment.

« Airport police chief Ronald Sipayung confirmed to local press that ‘the American faced life imprisonment or even death penalty if found guilty. We are continuing the investigation to uncover the international drug network behind this case,' » reports Ouest-France.

Suffering from Crohn’s disease for years, Jarred Shaw insists he doesn’t use cannabis for recreational purposes but for therapeutic reasons. « I don’t use it for fun or partying. I suffer from an incurable inflammatory disease, Crohn’s disease. No other medication besides cannabis relieves my stomach pains, » he told the Guardian.

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Indonesia enforces one of the world’s strictest anti-drug policies. In 2016, several foreigners were executed for similar offenses. Aware of the risks, the Texan believes he is a victim of cultural and health-related misunderstanding:

« They’re making me out to be a big drug trafficker. What they consider as drugs, I consider as medicine. They’re telling me I’m going to spend the rest of my life in prison… »

Trained in the United States, the Dallas (Texas) native has traveled the world for about ten years through various contracts. He has played in Turkey, D-League, Argentina, Thailand, Japan, Uruguay, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, and most recently Indonesia.

Still in pre-trial detention, the former IBL champion now awaits his trial date.