Recent CO Action alerts

In an apparent change of policy, the Israeli military is preparing to court-martial conscientious objectors. While this was often a normal procedure of Druze conscientious objectors who went AWOL (absent without leave), this is a new development for Jewish Israeli conscientious objectors who always presented themselves to the military, and refused to enlist.

Conscientious objector Uri Ya'acobi sentenced on 13 February to a further 14 days in prison. Uri Ya'acobi was first sentenced on 14 August to 14 days in military prison due to his conscientious objection. Uri Ya'acobi is one of the signatories of the letter of the 12th graders of 2001 (http://www.shministim.org/english_letter.htm).

War Resisters' International learned today about new and repeated imprisonments of conscientious objectors in Israel. To WRI's knowledge, there are at present 18 conscientious objectors in prison in Israel.

Itai Svirski (ISR12133) was sentenced on 20 January 2003 to 28 days imprisonment. Itai Svirski, who refused to serve in the Occupied Territories, already spent 21 days in Military Prison No 6 in June 2002 (see co-alert 20/06/02 - http://wri-irg.org/news/htdocs/20062002a.html). He is again imprisoned in Military Prison No 6, and is due out on 17 February 2003.

War Resisters' International was informed yesterday that Mehmet Bal was released from military prison on 28 January 2003. This was a surprise to everyone involved in support conscientious objectors in Turkey. As reported earlier, Mehmet Bal was arrested by Secret Service on 22 January 2003 (see TK12718-230103), and was then transferred to Adana military prison (see TK12718-240103). In Adana Mehmet Bal was interviewed by the military prosecutor, who carefully listened to Mehmet Bal's explanations. Bal said that he is a conscientious objector and does not see himself as a deserter.

Conscientious objector Haggai Matar received a fourth prison term of 14 days yesterday, after already having three terms of 14, 28, and 56 days in prison. Yesterday was his 100th day in prison - and today, while we send out this co-alert - he is 'celebrating' his 19th birthday in Military Prison No 6. According to his mother, Haggai Matar's health and mood are very good.

At present, at least 8 conscientious objectors are in prison in Israel (see ISRAEL: Update on 12 imprisoned conscientious objectors and refuseniks, 22/01/03 - http://wri-irg.org/news/htdocs/22012003a.html).

Turkish conscientious objector Mehmet Bal, who was "arrested" by one of Turkey's many secret services on 22 January 2003, and brought to the recruitment center, was sent to "his" military unit in Mersin at 5pm yesterday. We expect that he now is on his way to the Military Prison in Adana. Yesterday Mehmet Bal's lawyers were not allowed to see him. The justification that was given was that so far no case was opened against Mehmet Bal, so that he doesn't need any lawyers.

Turkish conscientious objector Mehmet Bal was arrested again yesterday. Three officers of JITEM, the secrect service of the Turkish gendarmie, visited the place where he was staying, and demanded that he followed them. It could be observed that they left the house, and met a police van parked around the corner. There they had a discussion with the police, which didn't want to arrest Mehmet Bal. For a couple of hours his whereabouts were unknown - something even more worrying as JITEM is known for torture and unlawful executions.

War Resisters' International is very concerned about the harsh treatment of conscientious objectors in Israel. At present, at least 12 conscientious objectors are in prison, several of them for the 6th or even 7th time. Two conscientious objectors started a hunger strike last week (see ISR12841-12842-180103: ISRAEL: Two conscientious objectors on hunger strike).

War Resisters' International learned today that two Israeli conscientious objectors who are presently in prison started a hunger strike on Thursday, 16 January 2003.

Conscientious objectors Jonathan Ben-Artzi (ISR12371) was today sentenced to his seventh prison terms.

During December 2002, several refuseniks were again imprisoned in Israel. Due to holidays at the WRI office, we send out information on their cases only now, although it might be a bit late for a co-alert in some cases.

Haggai Matar (ISR12701) was imprisoned again after serving two prison terms. He now was sentenced to 42 days in prison No 4. He was due to be released from his last prison term on 1 December, and I assume that he was arrested again shortly after. He will have spent a total of 84 days when he will finally be released at about mid-January.

On 10 December - International Human Rights Day - at least 10 refuseniks are imprisoned in Israel, in breach of international human rights standards. Besides Jonathan Ben-Artzi (ISR12371) and Uri Ya'acobi (ISR12376), whose cases were reported yesterday (see http://wri-irg.org/news/htdocs/09122002a.html), at least eight other refusenik are in prison.

The two conscientious objectors Jonathan Ben-Artzi (ISR12371) and Uri Ya'acobi (ISR12376) were yesterday (8 December) sentenced to their sixt prison terms.

On 29 November, Armenian conscientious objector Artur Grigoryan (ARM12801) was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison by Armenia's appeal court in Yerevan. Already on 8 October, Vardan Edigarian (ARM12802) was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

Turkish conscientious objector Abdulrezzak Er is in danger of being deported from Germany to Turkey, together with his wife and their three children. As all male citizens of the Kurdish village Sohran, Abdulrezzak Er was forced by the Turkish military to become a "village guard". He refused, and was arrested several times, and tortured. He also refused to perform his military service in Turkey. In 1996, he fled to Germany and applied for asylum. This was refused, and he now can be deported back to Turkey - together with his family - at any time.

Several refuseniks are presently imprisoned in Israel, most of them serve repeated prison sentences. Besides Jonathan Ben-Artzi (ISR12371) and Uri Ya'akobi (ISR12376), whose cases were reported on 14 November 2002 (http://wri-irg.org/news/htdocs/14112002a.html), three other refuseniks were imprisoned recently.