Sentencing of conscientious objector Agustin Aguayo
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Dear President George W Bush
I am very concerned about the sentencing of conscientious objector Agustin Aguayo on 6 March 2006. Aguayo has been sentenced to 8 months imprisonment for "desertion" and "missing movement", after he was forced to go AWOL because his application for conscientious objection has been rejected, and not been decided when he was about to be deployed to Iraq again on 1 September 2006.
The United States recognises the human right to conscientious objection in principle, but in practice many conscientious objectors are denied to exercise their right, and are sentenced by military courts instead - just as has happened to Agustin Aguayo. This in practice is a violation of their human right to conscientious objection, as enshrined in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the USA is a party.
I therefore urge you to recognise the right to conscientious objection also in practive, and to immediately release Agustin Aguayo and all imprisoned conscientious objectors. I urge you to respect human rights.
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