ISRAEL: Conscientious objector Omer Herrera sentenced to 14 days

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War Resisters' International was informed today by the Israeli organisation New Profile, that conscientious objector Omer Herrera, 26, was sentenced yesterday (2 December) to 14 days imprisonment. Omer Herrera, a student from the town of Beer-Sheva and an immigrant from Guatemala, was only now called up to perform regular military service, because he immigrated to Israel at the age of 22. He is held in Military Prison No. 4 in Tzrifin. Omer Herrera's objection to military service is grounded in his own experiences, and those of his family in Guatemala. Since his father was publicly opposed to the military regime in Guatemala, the entire family was persecuted by the army. Omer himself was forcibly enlisted into the Guatemalan army, but refused to bear arms, wear a uniform or in any other way cooperate with the military. As a result he was severely abused and eventually discharged. Omer's conscientious objection to military service is not so much a part of a developed ideological stand as an emotional response. In a statement he recently composed, he describes some of the ways in which his family and he were persecuted by the army in Guatemala and then concludes: "Following the events I have described, as well as many others, I have developed a deep rejection and anxiety of anything that has to do with the military in general". Apart from this, Omer Herrera was also recently diagnosed with a medical condition (a defect in the construction of his spine), which might well make him unfit for military service. However, the military medical authorities have refused to re-examine his medical condition for bureaucratic reasons. Omer's attempts to state his objection to military service before the military authorities suffered a similar fate. A military 'mental health officer' referred him to the Conscience Committee, which in turn referred him back to the mental health officer. Yesterday, Omer Herrera's draft date has arrived. He came to the induction base, but refused to be enlisted. He was then sentenced to 14 days of imprisonment.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of support to Omer Herrera. Omer Herrera Military ID 7107698-9 Military Prison No. 4 Military postal code 02507 IDF, Israel.

War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of Omer Herrera and all imprisoned conscientious objectors. War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the Israeli authorities, and to Israeli embassies abroad.

Andreas Speck, War Resisters' International

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

Faxes and letters can also be sent to:

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.il Fax: +972-3-696-27-57 / +972-3-691-69-40 / +972-3-691-79-15

Deborah Chassid Commander of Induction Base, Tel-HaShomer Military Postal Code 02718, IDF Israel. Fax: +972-3-737-60-52

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