Omry Yeshurun

War Resisters' International learned about two conscientious objectors who were imprisoned in Israel recently. Lieut. (res.) Omry Yeshurun (26) (ISR11873), of Kibbutz Yagur, was sentenced on 22 January to 28 days in Military Prison no 6, for failing to report for service in Tul Karem with his armour unit. Omry Yeshurun, a 3rd year student of electrical engineering at the Technion in Haifa, notified his unit months ahead that he would not report for service in the territories. He states: "The government's policy in the territories is criminal, and is bedevilling the lives of all of us for generations to come. No reasonable person should support such a policy." Political objector Yair Khilou (ISR11763) was sentenced to 28 days imprisonment on 28 January 2002. This is the second time Yair Khilou is imprisoned for his beliefs, after spending a 28-day sentence in military prison between 23 December 2001 and 17 January 2002. Yair Khilou was among the initiators and formulators of the open letter sent to Prime Minister Sharon at the beginning of September last year, signed by 62 Israeli youths who announced their refusal to cooperate with the Israeli occupation in Palestine. Khilou is the first among the signatories of this letter to be imprisoned because of his political convictions. Yair Khilou has decided to refuse wearing a military uniform in prison, and is likely to be held in the isolation ward throughout this term of imprisonment. He is held in Military Prison no 4 at the moment.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of support to Omry Yeshurun and Yair Khilou: Omry Yeshurun
Military Personal number 5124208
Military postal code 03734
IDF
Israel

Yair Khilou
Military ID 7274070
Military Prison No. 4
Military postal code 02507
IDF
Israel

War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the Israeli authorities and Israeli embassies abroad.

War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of Omry Yeshurun and Yair Khilou, and all conscientious objectors.

Mr. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer,
Minister of Defence,
Ministry of Defence,
37 Kaplan st.,
Tel-Aviv 61909,
Israel.
e-mail: mailto:sar@mod.gov.il or mailto:pniot@mod.gov Fax: ++972-3-696-27-57 / ++972-3-691-69-40 / ++972-3-691-79-15

Commander of Military Prison No. 4,
Military Postal Code 02507
IDF, Israel
Fax: ++972-3-957-52-76

Commander of Military Prison No 6
Military Prison No 6
Military postal number 03734,
IDF
Israel.
Fax: ++972-4-869-28-84

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Israel
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