Lista de honor de presos/as por la paz 2000
Armenia
Artur Stepanian
Vigen Hakopian
Vardan Virabian
Khachatur Zakarian
Garib Grigorian
Armen Harttenian
Vitaly Usupov
Aram Kazarian
Armen Babaian
Vaginak Saroian
Henrik Hovnikian
g Kosh, ITK, Nachalniku, Armenia
All are Jehovah's Witnesses, and are serving sentences of one to four and a half years. Virabian is serving his second sentence for refusing to serve in the military. Usupov, an ethnic Kurd, was forcibly conscripted and denied interpretation facilities at his trial.
Finland
Total objectors face a maximum prison sentence of 197 days. Since November 1999 Amnesty International has adopted a total of 14 Finnish total objectors as prisoners of conscience, based on their refusal to perform what is considered a punitive length of alternative service (more than twice as long as military service). The following total objectors will be in prison on 1 December:
Marko Tauriainen (28.8.2000-11.3.2001)
Suomenlinnan työsiirtola, Suomenlinna C 86, 00190 Helsinki, Finland
Teemu Kalvas(29.9.2000-12.4.2001)
Anssi Korhonen(1.9.2000-18.3.2001)
Juho Lindman (31.8.2000-16.3.2001)
Sami M. J. Nieminen (2.10.2000-19.4.2001)
Janne O. Nurminen (2.10.2000-18.4.2001)
Ilmari Saarilehto (2.10.2000-18.4.2001)
Helsingin työsiirtola, PL 36, 01531 Vantaa, Finland
Joonas Peltola (1.8.2000-17.2.2001)
Vilppulan varavankila, Kotiniementie 67, 35700 Vilppula, Finland
Greece
Lazaros Petromelidis is charged with "insubordination in time of general mobilization" for refusing to serve a punitive 39 months of alternative service. Lazaros is 37 years old and father of a child, a condition which would normally mean he would serve 4 months of regular military service; he has offered to do 8 months' alternative service, but this has been rejected. His next court appearance is at the military appellate court in Athens, 12 December.
Israel
Noam Kuzar served a 28-day sentence for refusal to serve in military actions against Palestinians in early October 2000. Other refusals of particular actions by soldiers and reservists may be expected if there is a widening of the present conflict.
Mordechai Vanunu
Ashkelon Prison, Ashkelon, Israel
Nuclear whistleblower convicted of espionage and treason -- kidnapped 30.09.1986. Serving 18 years, More information available from U.S. Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu, 2206 Fox Ave., Madison, WI 53711, USA (+1 608-257-4764; http://www.nonviolence.org/vanunu)
Macedonia
During 2000, at least three conscientious objectors have received sentences of 2-3 months for refusal to serve. Under proposed new regulations, alternative service will be recognised but will be for 14 months, five months longer than military service. Applications for exemption on conscientious grounds are accepted only during the first 15 days after call-up.
Romania
In a series of trials in June 2000, 29 conscientious objectors -- all of them Jehovah's Witnesses -- were sentenced to prison terms of between 18 and 30 months. All sentences have been suspended for three and a half years.
State of Spain
José Ignacio Royo and Alberto Estefanía have been sentenced to 2 yr 4 mo for desertion but have not yet been detained; see article in this pack for more information.
All the prisoners below were imprisoned for desertion, as a result of the "insumisión in the barracks" campaign:
Jesús Belascoain Ekisoain (2 yrs 4 mo from 8.2000) 2nd grade
José María Trillo-Figueroa Calvo (2 yrs 4 mo from 7.2000) 2nd grade
Juan Carlos Pérez Barranco (completed 2 yr 4 mo sentence 1.2000 but held in "preventive detention") 3rd grade
José Manuel De La Fuente Ríos (2 yrs 4 mo from 8.2000) 3rd grade
Unai Molinero Ortiz (2 yrs 4 mo 1 day from 11.1999) 3rd grade
Raúl Alonso López (2 yrs 4 mo from 6.1999) 3rd grade
Ignacio Ardanaz Ruíz (2 yrs 4 mo from 3.1999) 3rd grade
Javier Gómez Sánchez (2 yrs 4 mo from 2.1999) 3rd grade
Rafael Fernández Ferrete (2 yrs 4 mo 1 day from 12.1998) Conditional liberty
The following two prisoners were imprisoned for desertion following a public nonviolent action:
Joseph Ghanime López (2 yrs 5 mo from 7.1999) 3rd grade
Alberto Naya Suárez (2 yrs 4 mo from 7.1999) 3rd grade. He has requested a transfer to A Coruña (Galiza/Galicia), citing a constitutional requirement to keep prisoners close to their families.
All are held in:
Prisión Militar de Alcalá, Ctra Alcalá-Meco, km 5, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, State of Spain.
Turkey
The final stage of the trial of Mustafa Seyhoglu, Yasin Yildirim and Gökhan Birdal -- charged under section 155 of the Turkish Criminal Code for "alienating the people from the military" -- will be held in Istanbul on 5 December. See accompanying photo and caption.
Turkmenistan
Nuryagdy Gairov was sentenced to one year's imprisonment on 19 January 2000. He is serving his term in a corrective labour colony in Tedzhen. Igor Nazarov, another Jehovah's Witness, may still be serving a two-year sentence for objection at the same camp.
United States of America
Sam Hochstetler (30 days from 23 October 2000)
Greg Boertje-Obed (6 months from 23 October 2000)
Montgomery Co. Detention Center, 1307 Seven Locks Rd. Rockville MD 20854 USA
Kristen Betts (60 days from 23 October 2000)
Kent County Detention Center, 104 Vickers Dr., Chestertown, MD 21620
Trespass at Andrews Air Force Base, following a leafletting presence during an air show. The military prosecutor argued that the three had been "participating in a political protest with a message intended to deteriorate the military's morale thereby hindering them from carrying out their mission of defending the US in the event of war".
Peter De Mott (60 days from 23 October 2000)
Felton Davis (90 days from 23 October 2000)
Alexandria Co. Jail, 2001 Mill Rd., Alexandria, VA 22314 USA
Both were charged with obstruction following a peaceful protest at the Pentagon, Hiroshima Day 2000.
Daniel Sicken #28360-013 (41 months)
FPC Lewisburg, P.O. Box 2000, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
"Minuteman III Plowshares" direct disarmament of nuclear missile silo, 6.8.1998
Sachio Ko-Yin (30 months)
39 South 4th Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
"Minuteman III Plowshares" direct disarmament of nuclear missile silo, 6.8.1998. Serving remainder of sentence at home; see also Melissa Jameson's article on Ploughshares support.
Philip Berrigan #292-139 (30 months; in 12.1999)
Rev. Steve Kelly S.J. #292-140 (27 months; in 12.1999)
Roxbury Correctional Institution, 18701 Roxbury Rd., Hagerstown MD 21746, USA
"Plowshares Vs. Depleted Uranium" direct disarmament of A-10 anti-tank warplanes
Susan Crane #916-999 (27 months; in 12.1999)
Maryland Correctional Institution for Women, P.O. Box 535, Jessup, MD 20794, USA
"Plowshares Vs. Depleted Uranium" direct disarmament of A-10 anti-tank warplanes
Elizabeth Walz #995376 (18 months; in 12.1999)
Baltimore Co. Detention Center, 200 Court House Court, Towson, MD 21204, USA
"Plowshares Vs. Depleted Uranium" direct disarmament of A-10 anti-tank warplanes
Sr. Megan Rice #88101-020 (6 months, out 8.12.2000)
FCI Danbury, Route 37 Pembroke Station, Danbury, CT 06811-3099, USA
Re-entry trespass at the School of the Americas, Ft. Benning, 11.1999
Howard Mechanic #44998-008 (5 years)
CCA-FCC FA203B, P.O. Box 6900, Florence, AZ 85232, USA
Convicted 03.1972 of violating Civil Obedience Act of 1968 during St. Louis protest following killings at Kent State University, May 1970 - surrendered to serve sentence 02.2000
John Patrick Liteky #83725-020
FPC Sheridan, PO Box 6000, Sheridan, OR 97378-6000, USA
Sentenced for several blood pouring protests against the School of the Americas at the Pentagon on 29.09.1997 and 20.10.1997 and at Ft Benning on 25.02.1998
Ideas para la acción
- Envía siempre tu postal metida en un sobre.
- Incluye tu nombre y dirección
- Muestra tu creatividad, y no ahorres palabras: envía fotos de tu vida, dibujos; cuéntales a los presos/as lo que tú por tu parte estás haciendo en contra de la guerra y sus preparativos
- Si tellega alguna respuesta que sea interesante, envíanos una copia, por favor, a la oficina de la IRG: WRI office, 5 Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DX, England.
Si tu postal resulta devuelta, envíala de nuevo a la embajada del país de que se trata en tu propio país, solicitando que sea remitido a la persona presa a la que iba dirigida.
- Monta un puesto en un lugar público, y pide a la gente que firme postales y cartas de protesta en las que ya conste la dirección
- Celebra una fiesta en la que los asistentes se comprometan a enviar postales.
- Organiza una vigilia con pancartas en que figuren los nombres de los presos/as. Para atraer la atención, construye una prisión simbólica
- El 1 de Diciembre, organiza un acto político en que intervengan oradores/as o se proyecte una
- Ponte en contacto con los medios de comunicación de tu lugar
Apoya nuestro futuro trabajo por los PRESOS/AS POR LA PAZ
La Internacional de Resistentes a la Guerra lleva cuarenta años haciendo públicos los nombres y las historias de presos/as de conciencia. Ayúdanos a mantener esta línea:
- Envía a la IRG una àportación económica específica para la campaña PPP, para ayudarnos a financiar la búsqueda de datos para el año que viene.
- Regala una suscripción a Peace News a un preso/a de nuestra lista (o haznos llegar el nombre y dirección de alguno/a que no esté en nuestra lista)
- Haz una contribución a nuestro fondo dedicado a suscribir al Peace News a activistas y organizaciones que no se pueden pagar una suscripción.
Puedes mandar tu aportación a: War Resisters' International, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX, England (+44 20 7278 4040; fax 278 0444; email info@wri-irg.org; http:/wri-irg.org)
Lo que puedas hacer por las/os presas/os importa de verdad. ¡Muestra tu solidaridad!
Agradecemos a todas las personas y los grupos que nos han enviado la información que publicamos aquí: Finnish Union of COs, Amnesty International, InsuPiso, y el Nuclear Resister. Gracias también a nuestros/as traductores/as: Dominique Saillard, Yolanda Juarros, Carmen Magallón, Inge Dreger, Roger Gaillard, Katia Ruiz-Jodra, y Konrad Borst.
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