Zagreb - A Croatian man is appealing his conviction on charges of promoting drug use after he used Facebook to depict Popeye the Sailor Man imbibing something a little stronger than his trademark spinach.
Stjepan Pavlekovic, a 49-year-old unemployed geologist, posted a picture of the cartoon strongman in front of a marijuana plant, with pot leaves tattooed on his forearms, and a pipe giving off green smoke.
He also posted a picture featuring Disney's Snow White being offered a marijuana leaf by a witch, instead of the fairy tale's usual poisoned apple.
Pavlekovic says he was just joking. Authorities in Varazdin, northern Croatia, didn't see the funny side, fining him 1,000 kunas (130 euros, $148).
"This is absurd. I posted that as a joke. In no way did I intend to promote something," Pavlekovic, who lives in the northern town of Lepoglava, told AFP on Friday.
He filed an appeal against his conviction earlier this week.
Pavlekovic jokes that at least one of the pictures would hardly entice drug taking.
"We all know what happened to Snow White after the witch gave here the apple," he said.
AFP
