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"My son is in federal prison based upon - he's been a drug addict for a large part of his life and was arrested and selling drugs and is in federal prison," Douglas explained to reporters backstage at the awards show. "For my son's case, he's spent almost two years in solitary confinement and right now I'm being told that I cannot see him for two years ... It's over a year now and I'm questioning the system."
Douglas' fans reacted by creating a petition on Change.org, urging prison authorities to allow the movie star to visit his jailed son.
Now Douglas' ex-wife and Cameron's mom, Diandra Douglas, is enlisting the family's powerful celebrity friends to seek help in seeing their son.
The New York Post got their hands on the email Diandra sent pals such as Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Yoko Ono, Charlie Rose, Diane von Furstenberg, Bob Pittman, Carolina Herrera, Deborah Norville, Ann Dexter-Jones, Frederic Fekkai, Bianca Jagger and Bo Derek.
Diandra wrote, "We have not seen our son for over a year, and the government is telling us we cannot see our son for TWO YEARS!"
The e-mail continues, "Cameron has also been in solitary confinement for TWO YEARS! (For a non violent crime of possession). As parents we are fighting back."
It concludes, "Our son Cameron has been sentenced to 9 yrs., the longest sentence ever handed out by the Federal Government for a non violent crime of possession" and, "PLEASE help us by forwarding this petition after signature, to anyone you know who would like to help the cause."
Watch Michael Douglas discuss the situation at last month's Emmy awards: