COs Tamar Katz and Raz Bar-David Varon Sentenced to 21 Days in Prison

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Dec 1, 2008, 11:15:56 PM12/1/08
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COs Tamar Katz and Raz Bar-David Varon Sentenced to 21 Days in Prison

- Please distribute widely -

Dear Friends,

COs Tamar Katz and Raz Bar-David Varon have been sent to a another prison term yesterday (1 Dec.). Both have been sentenced to 21 days in prison and are due to be released on 19 Dec. Their addresses in prison are:
    Tamar Katz
    Military ID 5396326
    Military Prison No. 400
    Military Postal Code 02447, IDF
    Israel
    Fax: ++972-3-9579389
    Raz Bar-David Varon
    Military ID 6000383
    Military Prison No. 400
    Military Postal Code 02447, IDF
    Israel
    Fax: ++972-3-9579389
Since the prison authorities often block mail from reaching imprisoned objectors, we also recommend you to send your letters of support and encouragement to the imprisoned objectors via e-mail to shmin...@gmail.com, and they will be printed out and delivered to them during visits.

Tamar Katz refused to wear a uniform and is now held in the Isolation Ward of the military prison, where conditions hare harsh, and various forms of mistreatment have been documented in the past.

CO Yuval Oron-Ofir continues his first prison term, and is due to be released this Friday.


Recommended Action
First of all, please circulate this message and the information contained in it as widely as possible, not only through e-mail, but also on websites, conventional media, by word of mouth, etc.

Other recommendations for action:

1. Sending Letters of Support

Please send the imprisoned objectors letters of support (preferably postcards or by fax, or by e-mail to the Shministim address) to the prison addresses above.

2. Letters to Authorities

It is recommended to send letters of protest on the objectors' behalf, preferably by fax, to: Copies of your letters can also be sent to the commander of the military prison at:
Commander of Military Prison No. 6,
Military Prison No. 6
Military Postal Code 01860, IDF
Israel
Fax: ++972-4-9540580
Another useful address for sending copies would be the Military Attorney General:
    Avichai Mandelblit,
    Chief Military Attorney
    Military postal code 9605, IDF
    Israel
    Fax: ++972-3-569-43-70

It would be especially useful to send your appeals to the Commander of the Induction Base in Tel-HaShomer. It is this officer that ultimately decides whether an objector is to be exempted from military service or sent to another round in prison, and it is the same officer who is ultimately in charge of the military Conscience Committee:
    Gadi Agmon,
    Commander of Induction Base,
    Meitav, Tel-HaShomer
    Military Postal Code 02718, IDF
    Israel.
    Fax: ++972-3-737-60-52

For those of you who live outside Israel, it would be very effective to send protests to your local Israeli embassy. You can find the address of your local embassy on the web.

Here is a sample letter, which you can use, or better adapt, in sending appeals to authorities on the prisoners' behalf:

    Dear Sir/Madam,

    It has come to my attention that [name & military ID], a conscientious objector, has again been imprisoned for her refusal to perform military service, and is held in Military Prison No. 400.

    The imprisonment of conscientious objectors such as [name] is a violation of international law, of basic human rights and of plain morals, let alone when the same person is being repeatedly imprisoned for her self-same beliefs.

    I therefore call for the immediate and unconditional release from prison of [name], without threat of further imprisonment in the future, and urge you and the system you are heading to respect the dignity and person of conscientious objectors, indeed of all human beings, in the future.

    Sincerely,

We will appreciate receiving copies from the letters to the address: support.ref...@gmail.com


3. Letters to media in Israel and in other countries

Writing op-ed pieces and letters to editors of media in Israel and other countries could also be quite useful in indirectly but powerfully pressuring the military authorities to let go of the objectors and in bringing their plight and their cause to public attention.

Here are some contact details for the main media outlets in Israel:


We will continue updating on further developments.


Thank you for your attention and action,

    Sergeiy Sandler – New Profile.
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