Detention of conscientious objector Natan Blanc
Use this form to send the letter below to the relevant authority (Minister of Defense Ehud Barak). You can add your own notes in a separate box after the standard text, if you wish. You must include a name, address, and email address; a copy will be sent to you with a cc to the WRI office (so we have a record of how many email letters have been sent out for this particular case).
Dear Ehud Barat,
I am very concerned about the recent detention of conscientious objector Natan Blanc, who was sentenced on 20 November 2012 to 10 days' imprisonment for his conscientious objection to military service. This will be the first of potentially a series of prison sentences.
Natan Blanc refuses to enlist in the Israeli Army based on beliefs and conscience. He claims his human right to conscientious objection, as guaranteed by Article 18 of the ICCPR. He now faces repeated imprisonment, which is a violation of international legal standards. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in opinion 24/2003 on Israel came to the conclusion that the repeated imprisonment of conscientious objectors in Israel is arbitrary, and therefore it constitutes a violation of 14 par 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Israel is a signatory.
The United Nations Human Rights Committee recognised in a decision from January 2007 the right to conscientious objection as a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as guaranteed by Article 18 ICCPR. In fact, in this decision on two cases of conscientious objectors from South Korea, the Human Rights Committee stated that not to provide for the right to conscientious objection is a violation of Article 18 ICCPR (see CCPR/C/88/D/1321-1322/2004 from 23 January 2007). Since then the Human Rights Committee decided on two further cases from South Korea and one case from Turkey, with the same result.
I therefore urge you to immediately release Natan Blanc and all imprisoned conscientious objectors. I urge you to respect human rights.
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