ISRAEL: Third imprisonment for CO Uriel Ferera

On 8th June Uriel Ferera, a 19 year old conscientious objector in Israel, was imprisoned for 20 days for refusing military service. This is his third imprisonment.

Send a protest email to the Israeli authorities here.

'We will not take part in occupation'

Uriel is one of the signatories to the letter 50 Israelis of draft age have sent to Prime Minister Netanyahu, stating that they will refuse to join the IDF due to the occupation of the West Bank, and the violent effect it has on Israeli society.

An interview with Uriel in +972 Magazine can be found here, and watch a video of Uriel speaking about his refusal here.

Ignoring international standards

Uriel Ferera claims his human right to conscientious objection, as guaranteed by Article 18 of the ICCPR. In a decision from January 2007, the United Nations Human Rights Committee recognised 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.

Repeated imprisonment 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.

Solidarity

During the last days of his first prison term, Uriel was denied phone calls including calls to his lawyer from New Profile, and was not allowed to receive letters of support. However, it is still important to send them.

You can send letters of support to: Uriel Ferera Military ID 8004295, Military Prison No. 6, Military Postal Code 01860, IDF, Israel

Fax: +972-4-9540580

We also recommend you to send them your letters of support and encouragement via e-mail to Uriel through New Profile, at messages2prison@newprofile.org.

An protest email to Israel's Minister of Defence can be sent at /node/23184

A list of Israel's embassies abroad can be found here.

War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of conscientious objector Uriel Ferera and all other imprisoned conscientious objectors.

Hannah Brock,
War Resisters' International