A 22-year-old British Columbia man says he spent nearly two months in detention in Georgia after arriving with prescription medication used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Simon Rovensky told Global News that he was stopped at the airport, despite carrying the medication in its original pharmacy container and having a receipt. He said he did not have a translated paper prescription, and that officials treated the medication as a controlled substance.
Arrest and detention
Rovensky said he was questioned for about six hours before being taken to a medical facility and then a detention centre. He said authorities took his phone, leaving him unable to contact his family or doctor immediately, and that his request to call the Canadian consulate was denied.
He was later transferred to Tbilisi's Gldani Prison, where he said he shared a small cell with five other people and spent about 23 hours a day inside. He described difficult conditions, including insects, damaged walls and limited access to showers and personal supplies. He also said losing access to his medication had a serious mental impact.
Global Affairs Canada did not comment on the individual case, citing privacy. In a statement to Global News, the department said Canadians should consult travel advice regularly, register abroad before travelling, and review information on arrest and detention.
Release and travel warning
Rovensky was released after his family paid a fine they said was about CAD 16,000, with legal, translation and other costs bringing the total closer to CAD 35,000. Donations through an online fundraiser helped cover the expenses, his sister said.
The family is calling for clearer warnings for travellers carrying medication that is legal in Canada but subject to different rules abroad. Their experience highlights the importance of checking country-specific medication requirements and carrying the documents required by the destination before travel.
