Two Objectors Return to Military Prison

mashriq / arabia / iraq | repression / prisoners | appeal / petition

Thursday February 05, 2009 00:27

by New Profile - Movement for the Civil-ization of Israeli Society

Update on the imprisoned "shministim" objectors

Having finished their previous prison terms last week, COs Raz Bar-David Varon and Maya Yechieli Wind reported on Sunday, 1 Feb., at the Induction Base, declared their refusal to serve in the Israeli military and were given a conditional sentence of 10 days in military prison.

Two Objectors Return to Military Prison

[מאת: New Profile, 04/02/2009]

- Please distribute widely -

Having finished their previous prison terms last week, COs Raz Bar-David Varon and Maya Yechieli Wind reported on Sunday, 1 Feb., at the Induction Base, declared their refusal to serve in the Israeli military and were given a conditional sentence of 10 days in military prison. When, on the next day, the two objectors persisted, the conditional sentences were activated, and to these were added 15 days for Maya and 20 for Raz, to a total of 25 days in prison for Maya and 30 days for Raz. Still, it took one more day until they were actually sent to prison. Their prison terms started yesterday ( 3 Feb.)

This is the fifth prison term for Raz (sixth, if we count a term of confinement to base), who is due out of prison on 1 Mar., and the second term for Maya, who is due out of prison on 25 Feb. Both and are likely to be imprisoned again afterwards. Their prison addresses are:

Since the prison authorities often block mail from reaching imprisoned objectors, we also recommend you to send your letters of support and encouragement to the imprisoned objectors via e-mail to shministim@gmail.com, and they will be printed out and delivered to them during visits.

All the reservists, on whose cases we reported in our previous update were in the meanwhile released from prison, and are not likely to be imprisoned again at least until their next call-up.

Recommended Action
First of all, please circulate this message and the information contained in it as widely as possible, not only through e-mail, but also on websites, conventional media, by word of mouth, etc.

Other recommendations for action:

1. Sending Letters of Support

Please send the imprisoned objectors letters of support (preferably postcards or by fax) to the prison addresses above.

2. Letters to Authorities

It is recommended to send letters of protest on the objectors' behalf, preferably by fax, to:

sar@mod.gov.il

pniot@mod.gov.il

Copies of your letters can also be sent to the commander of the military prison at:

Another useful address for sending copies would be the Military Attorney General:

It would be especially useful to send your appeals to the Commander of the Induction Base in Tel-HaShomer. It is this officer that ultimately decides whether an objector is to be exempted from military service or sent to another round in prison, and it is the same officer who is ultimately in charge of the military Conscience Committee:

For those of you who live outside Israel, it would be very effective to send protests to your local Israeli embassy. You can find the address of your local embassy on the web.

Here is a sample letter, which you can use, or better adapt, in sending appeals to authorities on the prisoners' behalf:

Dear Sir/Madam,

It has come to my attention that [name & military ID], a conscientious objector, has been imprisoned for [her / his] refusal to perform military service, and is held in Military Prison no. [6 / 400].

The imprisonment of conscientious objectors such as [name] is a violation of international law, of basic human rights and of plain morals, let alone when the same person is being repeatedly imprisoned for her self-same beliefs.

I therefore call for the immediate and unconditional release from prison of [name], without threat of further imprisonment in the future, and urge you and the system you are heading to respect the dignity and person of conscientious objectors, indeed of all human beings, in the future.

Sincerely,

We will appreciate receiving copies from the letters to the address: support.refusers.israel@gmail.com

3. Letters to media in Israel and in other countries

Writing op-ed pieces and letters to editors of media in Israel and other countries could also be quite useful in indirectly but powerfully pressuring the military authorities to let go of the objectors and in bringing their plight and their cause to public attention.

Here are some contact details for the main media outlets in Israel:

Ma'ariv: 2 Karlibach st. Tel-Aviv 67132 Israel Fax: +972-3-561-06-14 e-mail: editor@maariv.co.il	Yedioth Aharonoth: 2 Moses st. Tel-Aviv Israel Fax: +972-3-608-25-46	Ha'aretz (Hebrew): 21 Schocken st. Tel-Aviv, 61001 Israel Fax: +972-3-681-00-12
Ha'aretz (English edition): 21 Schocken st. Tel-Aviv, 61001 Israel Fax: +972-3-512-11-56 e-mail: letters@haaretz.co.il	Israel Hayom: 2 Hashlosha st. The B1 Building Tel-Aviv Israel e-mail: hayom@israelhayom.co.il	Jerusalem Post: P.O. Box 81 Jerusalem 91000 Israel Fax: +972-2-538-95-27 e-mail: news@jpost.co.il or letters@jpost.co.il
Radio (fax numbers): Kol-Israel +972-2-531-33-15 and +972-3-694-47-09 Galei Zahal +972-3-512-67-20	Television (fax numbers): Channel 1 +972-2-530-15-36 Channel 2 +972-2-533-98-09 Channel 10 +972-3-733-16-66