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Amnesty
International Issues Update on its Declaration of Kevin Benderman
as a "Prisoner of Conscience," Continues International
Campaign of Support
Note: Below is the text of the Amnesty International (AI) update
on September 5, 2005. The text of the original Amnesty declaration
of Kevin as a "prisoner of conscience" is linked here.
Click
here to go to the Amnesty International USA webpage devoted to
Kevin's case
(the
September 5 update below is not yet posted on the Amnesty site).
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
URGENT ACTION
PUBLIC AI
Index: AMR 51/137/2005
05 September 2005
Further Information on UA 208/05 (AMR 51/123/2005, 09 August 2005)
- Prisoner of conscience
USA Kevin Benderman (m), aged 40, US army sergeant
Prisoner of conscience Kevin Benderman, jailed for his objection
to the war in Iraq, has been moved to a military prison 3,000
miles from his family, who are reportedly the only people who
will be allowed to visit him. He was moved to Fort Lewis, in Washington
State, on 1 August.
His wife told Amnesty International on 3 September, "I spoke
with Kevin today and he said to please express his sincere thank
you to...all the people of Amnesty International who continue
to help him." She was not officially informed that he had
been moved to Fort Lewis, and found out only because his supervisor
called her unofficially. He intends to appeal against the verdict
of his court martial, but is unable to begin the process because
the sentence and conviction have not yet been formally confirmed,
over one month after he was sentenced. On about 20 August he asked
permission for a telephone conversation with a military lawyer,
but has reportedly not so far received approval.
Kevin Benderman had served as an army mechanic for 10 years when
he developed moral and religious objections to the war in Iraq,
after serving there in 2003, and refused to deploy there again.
After seeing scenes of devastation in Iraq, and through his readings
of both the Bible and the Qu’ran, Kevin Benderman filed an
application for conscientious objector status on 28 December 2004.
His application was turned down on 27 April, and he was sentenced
to 15 months' imprisonment at the subsequent court martial. Amnesty
International considers his objection to the war to be genuine
and credible, and also that he took reasonable steps to secure
release from his military obligations, and therefore considers
him a prisoner of conscience.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly
as possible, in English or your own language:
- reiterating that Amnesty International considers Kevin Benderman
to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for his conscientious
objection to the war in Iraq, and calling for him to be released
immediately and unconditionally;
- reminding the US authorities that international human rights
standards require that any detained person be able to communicate
and consult with a lawyer of their choice; that their family be
informed of any transfer without delay, and that they have an
effective opportunity to communicate with the outside world and
in particular to be visited by members of their family.
APPEALS TO:
Secretary of the Army Dr. Francis J. Harvey
101 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-0101, USA
Fax + 1 703 697 8036
Salutation: Dear Secretary
Lt Gen James Dubik
Fort Lewis Garrison Commander
525 Replacement
Ft. Lewis, Washington, 98433-9500, USA
Fax + 1 253 967 0061
COPIES TO:
George W. Bush
The President
The White House
Office of the President
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500, USA
Fax: + 1 202 456 2461
Email: president@whitehouse.gov
The Honorable Donald H. Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington DC 20301, USA
Fax: + 1 703 697 8339
Email via: http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/comment.html
and to diplomatic representatives of the USA accredited to your
country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International
Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after
10 October 2005.
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