Rennan Amin Salameh

War Resisters' International was informed over the weekend that two new conscientious objectors were imprisoned.

Rennan Amin Salameh (ISR11862), 23, a member of the Druse religious community, refuses to serve in an army fighting against his own, Palestinian, people (the Druse are drafted into the Israeli army). He is currently held in Military Prison No. 4. Last Thursday, on 17 January 2002, he was taken to a hearing of a military tribunal to face charges of desertion - carrying a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment. Druse conscientious objectors are reported to receive exceptionally severe sentences for draft evasion and desertion. The outcome of the hearing on 17 January is not yet known.

Zvi Osmolovski (ISR11863), 27, is an immigrant from the former USSR, and came to Israel eight years ago. He is incarcerated in Military Prison No 4 and was sentenced to 49 days imprisonment. He is a vegetarian and a pacifist since he was 13. In a statement that he gave last Thursday he wrote: "People ask me why I do not eat meat - after all, by not eating that steak I cannot bring the slain cow or chicken back to life. I reply that I'm unwilling to share the blame or responsibility of killing that animal. All the more so, I will not be able to share the guilt of murdering people, even 'bad' people, by joining the army that commits that murder."

Osmolovsky was first called to serve in the Israeli army in 1996, and, under great social pressure, did go through basic training. He was not called up since then until 2001. In 2001 he was called up and did not report. On 31 Dec. 2001 he was arrested by the military police. on 1 Jan. 2002 he was sentenced to 28 days of imprisonment for desertion. The following day (Wednesday, 2 Jan. 2002) he was tried for refusing to wear military uniform in prison and given a suspended sentence of 14 days in prison. At the beginning of the following week (6 or 7 Jan.) he was again tried for refusing to wear a uniform in prison. His suspended sentence was activated and an additional sentence of 7 days of imprisonment + a suspended sentence of 7 days in prison was given. All in all, 21 days of imprisonment were added to his original sentence of 28 days.

Zvi Osmolovsky is held in the isolation ward of Military Prison No. 4 for his refusal to wear a uniform. He also refuses to follow other military orders. He does stand up when asked to by wardens and officers in the prison (expressing his respect for them as human beings) and performs tasks such as washing dishes (so that others will not be left with the job). Because of his refusal to make special preparations for regular inspections by the wardens (such as folding his blanket according to military regulations) his blanket and mattress are taken away from him every morning and returned at night.

Zvi Osmolovsky states that his imprisonment only strengthens him. There is no limit to the price he is willing to pay. Just as any amount of money offered him will not persuade him to eat a meatloaf, no punishment imposed on him will not persuade him to join the army. If he is to face the Conscience Committee, so he told Sergeiy Sandler from New Profile during a visit, he will explain to them that: "Every war is a crime. Every army is a criminal institution. If you want me to spend time in prison, that is a result of your stupidity - not mine".

A final remark: during the first two days of his imprisonment he was on hunger strike and was handcuffed throughout that period.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of support to Rennan Amin Salameh and Zvi Osmolovski:

Zvi Osmolovsky
Military personal number 5240897
Military Prison No. 4
Military postal code 02507, IDF
Israel.

Rennan Amin Salameh
ID number 034581470
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, especially protesting potential harsh sentences, and mistreatment.

War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of Rennan Amin Salameh, Zvi Osmolovski and all other imprisoned conscientious objectors.

Andreas Speck
War Resisters' International

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

It is especially important that copies of your appeals reach the Commander of Military Prison No. 4 (preferably by fax), at:

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

Addresses of Israeli media:
Ma'ariv:
2 Karlibach st.
Tel-Aviv 67132
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-561-06-14
e-mail: editor@maariv.co.il

Yedioth Aharonoth:
2 Moses st.
Tel-Aviv
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-608-25-46

Ha'aretz (Hebrew):
21 Schocken st.
Tel-Aviv, 61001
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-681-00-12

Ha'aretz (English edition):
21 Schocken st.
Tel-Aviv, 61001
Israel
Fax: ++972-3-512-11-56
e-mail: letters@haaretz.co.il

Jerusalem Post:
POB 81
Jerusalem 91000
Israel
Fax: ++972-2-538-95-27
e-mail: news@jpost.co.il or letters@jpost.co.il

Jerusalem Report:
Fax: ++972-2-537-94-89

Radio (fax numbers):
Kol-Israel ++972-2-531-33-15 and ++972-3-694-47-09 Galei Tzahal ++972-3-512-67-20

Television (fax numbers):
Channel 1 ++972-2-530-15-36
Channel 2 ++972-2-533-98-09