The Malaysian Court of Appeal is set to hear the appeal of a man who was convicted of and received a death sentence for trafficking cannabis, which he said he used for medical purposes.

In August 2018, Muhammad Lukman Mohamad, a 30-year-old father, was found guilty in the Shah Alam High Court after being charged with three counts of trafficking approximately 3,000 ml of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (oil), 1,422 g of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol and just over 279 g of cannabis flower in Bandar Mahkota, Banting in December 2015.

The sentence resulted in a public outcry, with citizens creating a petition that garnered tens of thousands of signatures against the penalty, as well as Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad stating publicly that Muhammad Lukman’s case should be reviewed, and a prominent MP, Nurul Izzah Anwar, referring to the ruling as a “miscarriage of justice.”

Muhammad Lukman will appear in court Nov. 27 in an attempt to plead for his life after three justices set the hearing date early Thursday morning.

One of the three, Justice Yaacob Md Sam, earlier granted application filed by Muhammad Lukman’s lawyer, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, to include additional grounds on his petition of appeal. The deputy prosecutor had no objections to Hisyam’s application.

Muhammad Lukman’s legal team depicted the accused as a kind, generous and devoted Muslim who would distribute the oil for free to patients who were unable to afford it. Although he has made some unfounded claims about the product’s ability to treat certain types of cancers, a variety of patients have testified to his generosity in providing the drug.

Despite much talk of legalizing medical cannabis, the drug continues to be prohibited in Malaysia for both medical and recreational purposes.

Possession of 50 g or less can net the accused a sentence of 10 years in prison, and a conviction for drug trafficking in Malaysia carries an automatic penalty of death.