Imprisonment of conscientious objectors Uri Natan
Use this form to send the letter below to the relevant authority (Shaul Mofaz, Minister of Defence, Israel). 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 Mr Shaul Mofaz, Minister of Defence
I am very concerned about the imprisonment of conscientious objector Uri Natan.
He began his cycle with a first prison term on 28 September, and received a second prison term of 21 days on 6 October 2005. He is likely to be reimprisoned after his release. Shaul Morgrab-Berger is still serving his third prison term; Alex Kohn has recently been released from his eighth prison term, and Orwa Zidan from his third. All are likely to be reimprisoned again soon.
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.
In addition, Israel does not recognise the human right to conscientious objection, contrary to article 18 of the ICCPR.
I therefore urge you to immediately release all imprisoned conscientious objectors. I urge you to respect human rights.
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