[E-rundbrief] Info 1142 - US-Wehrdienstverweigerin in Haft

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 1142 - War Resisters' International: Kimberly 
Rivera, who served with the US Army in Iraq before developing a 
conscientious objection, has been taken into military custody on her 
return to the USA on Sept. 20, 2012.

Bad Ischl, 21.9.2012

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

================================================

War Resisters' International

co-alert

conscientious objectors need our support

Kimberly Rivera (USA)

London, 21 September 2012

Kimberly Rivera, who served with the US Army in Iraq before developing 
a conscientious objection, has been taken into military custody on her 
return to the USA yesterday.

Kimberly went absent without leave between deployments in 2007, 
travelling to Canada with her husband and children, where they claimed 
refugee status. In January 2009 this was rejected, and she was ordered 
to leave the country or face deportation. She appealed this decision, 
but on Monday 16 September a Canadian Federal Court judge denied her 
request for a stay of removal, finding the possibility of her arrest 
and detention in the U.S. to be only "speculative".

Kimberley presented herself at the border between Gananoque in Ontario 
and Fort Drum in New York, according to the War Resisters Support 
Campaign 
(http://resisters.ca/uncategorized/conscientious-objector-to-the-iraq-war...).

She is likely to be court-martialled for desertion and jailed for 
between two to five years.

Amnesty International have stated that if she is imprisoned she will 
be a prisoner of conscience 
(https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR20/007/2012/en/4a25c9a9-b445...).

The right to refuse to perform military service for reasons of 
conscience is part of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as 
recognised in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
Rights, to which the United States of America is a state party.

This includes those who have joined the armed forces voluntarily, 
since the freedom to change one's religion or belief is recognised in 
Article 18 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
Rights. This was also specified in the Human Rights Committee General 
Comment 22, paragraph 5.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the 
United States' authorities. Protest emails to President Obama can be 
sent here: http://wri-irg.org/node/20416, please also contact the 
American Embassy in your own country. Contact details can be found 
here: www.usembassy.gov

War Resisters' International calls for the immediate release of 
Kimberly Rivera.

Hannah Brock
War Resisters' International

Archives of co-alert can be found at http://wri-irg.org/news/alerts

-- 

Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at
Spenden-Konto Nr. 0600-970305 (Blz. 20314) Sparkasse Salzkammergut,
Geschäftsstelle Pfandl
IBAN: AT922031400600970305 BIC: SKBIAT21XXX

--

Ausgezeichnet mit dem (österr.) "Journalismus-Preis von unten 2010"

Honoured by the (Austrian) "Journalism-Award from below 2010"