(1/12/2005)

Prisoners for Peace day, 1st December 2005, Brussels

View the "Prisoners for Peace" prisoner addresses, and background information (War Resisters' International)

Since 1956, 1st December has been marked as international "Prisoners for Peace Day". For Mother Earth, a member of Friends of the Earth International, is using this opportunity to draw attention to the many men and women who are imprisoned around the world for various anti-militarist actions, including conscientious objection, disarmament actions, and nuclear whistle-blowing.

A delegation from For Mother Earth will visit the Brussels embassies of Armenia, Eritrea, Finland, Greece, Israel, Turkey and the United States on 1st December, in order to discuss the situation with ambassadors, and to hold a protest in front of each embassy.

The day ends with candle-lit vigil in front of the Finnish embassy, from 4 pm.

For Mother Earth calls for the immediate release of all imprisoned conscientious objectors and other "prisoner for peace".

The right to anti-militarist conscience, including a refusal to carry weapons or train to kill, is widely recognised as a fundamental human right and protected by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Countries that are currently imprisoning conscientious objectors or other Prisoners for Peace include: Armenia, Eritrea, Finland, Greece, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea, Turkey and the United States.
A delegation from For Mother Earth will visit the embassies of many of these countries on 1st December, in order to discuss the situation with the Ambassadors.

A few cases worthy of particular attention:

Finland still has a very extensive compulsory military service system. The alternative civilian service is up to twice as long as the most common length of military service, and the rights of civilian servants are not respected. For this reason, Amnesty International considers the alternative service to be a punishment, and has adopted many imprisoned Finnish conscientious objectors as "prisoners of conscience". Their only "crime" is refusing to carry a gun, and refusing to train to kill and be killed. Finland is also under pressure from United Nations and the Council of Europe to improve the status of its conscientious objectors. The fact that a country such as Finland - which prides itself on having a good human rights record - is criticised in this way should become a major issue in the forthcoming Finnish presidential election.

Eritrea also has compulsory military service for all young people in the country. There are reports of widespread forced conscription into the army. An increasing number of people are refusing to take part in military training, for reasons of conscience. In total, nine Jehovah's Witnesses are imprisoned for conscientious objection to military service. Three Jehovah's Witnesses are imprisoned since 24 September 1994, for refusing to perform military service. All three have never been charged for their "crime". The maximum penalty for conscientious objection is three years.

United States soldier, Sgt Kevin Benderman, was deployed to Iraq from March to September 2003. When his unit deployed to Iraq on 8 January 2005, Kevin Benderman refused to deploy with his unit. The Army charged him with desertion and a lesser charge of "intentionally missing movement" for not being on the plane when the 3rd Infantry Division deployed to Iraq. Benderman was acquitted of desertion, but found guilty of "missing movement". For this charge, he received an unexpectedly high sentence of 15 month in prison, was reduced in rank to private, and will receive a dishonorable discharge. Military police immediately took Kevin Benderman into custody.

Conscientious objection is the check and balance against war and militarism.

Antimilitarist conscience is not a crime: it is an ethical and political choice. The only "crime" of conscientious objectors is refusing to carry a weapon, and refusing to be trained to kill other human beings.

For more information: www.hermaja.org

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