An update from their parents.
Israeli COs now in Civilian Jail – in separate cells, 7 prisoners in each cell built for 4 prisoners – so that some sleep on the floor. Held in the cells 23 hours out of each 24 hours.
On Sunday 24.2.04 the five conscientious objectors were transferred to the civilian prison service to serve the rest of their sentence. The army, in its determination to rid itself of the COs by passing them to the civilian service opened a campaign of harassment and witch-hunting that started at the Tuesday (17.2.04) hearing of the committee on prisoner transfers (from army to civilian jails).
At this hearing Colonel Ochana, Deputy Commander of the Israeli military Police Corps, described the five as “well poisoners” . Had Colonel Ochana bothered to attend history classes he would have learned that the origin of the anti-Semitic expression “well poisoner” was in the middle ages during the period of the Black Death plague. At that time Jews were accused of spreading the plague as part of a “Jewish Conspiracy” by poisoning European water sources. On the grounds of these accusations tens of thousands of Jews were butchered or were burnt at the stake. Very few anti-Semites would dare to use such this expression today.
On the other hand, had Colonel Ochana learnt history he would not have been so eager to pursue the conscientious objectors as he did.
At the committee hearing the Colonel declared that the COs will be expected to participate in work details to construct the ‘Security Fence’ in the occupied territories. Their predicted refusal to obey such orders was one of his main arguments for demanding their transfer to a Civilian Jail. By refusing they will loose their chance of obtaining a sentence reduction on the grounds of good behavior. [See Adam Keller's report on the committee hearing.]
At this stage we realized that if we do not agree to the transfer to civilian jail the life of the five would become a living hell. We thought that we would rather see them locked away with hardened criminals than exposed to an endless harassment that will lead to extension of their jail-time. You do not need a vivid imagination to see the five loaded on a truck , transported to the occupied territories and being ordered to participate in the construction of the Wall.
We protest. We protest at our sons” imprisonment. We protest their transfer to civilian jails, we protest at the continuous harassment that they are subjected to. We realize that we cannot expect either justice or reason from the army system. Therefore , as a protest at the outrageous treatment, we withdraw our appeal from the military appeals court. We lost the remnant of our trust in the system. We do not need more Colonels to tell us that our sons are “well poisoners”.
What we know today is just that they have been separated and sent to the Nitzan Jail. We know that they are currently held in cells designed for 4 prisoners but containing 7 prisoners some of which sleep on the floor. They will be permitted to leave the cell just one hour in each 24 hours.
These are the facts as we know them today. More than ever we need your support for our sons, and for all the COs to come. Think about them, talk about them to your friends and colleagues – tell your friends what is happening to them we keep the News section of the web site updated daily.
Go to “how you can help us” and decide what else you can do.
The Refusers Parent’s Organization has no paid staff we conduct the struggle with very limited means we are totally dependent on your will and creativity. Don”t let them fade away behind the bars as the Israeli Government would like to happen.
A bit of good news: The five anti-occupation conscientious objectors, Noam Bahat, Adam Maor, Haggai Matar, Shimri Tzameret and Matan Kaminer, were sent to the notorious Nitzan prison last Sunday, February 22, 2004. Nitzan is the processing center for all incoming prisoners. As often happens, conditions at a site for temporary detention are noticeably worse than those at any of the ‘regular’ prisons. Young first offenders are thrown into overcrowded cells for 23 hours a day with an hour a day for exercise in the courtyard with hardened criminals. All of our supporters were duly concerned and understood the need to prevent the distinct probability of an extended stay in Nitzan.
After the intervention of a number of Knesset members, attorneys for the five, and a flood of phone calls, the Prison System Authorities expedited the transfer of the five on Wednesday evening, February 25 and Thursday morning, February 26, 2004. Matan Kaminer, Noam Bahat and Haggai Matar were safely transferred To Massiyahu Prison near Ramle while Shimri Tzameret and Adam Maor were safely transferred to the Hermon Prison, near the town of Merar, in the lower Galilee. According to messages received from the five, the transfer was orderly and in accordance with standard procedures. The parents and the five’s supporters breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to renew the main battle to free the five.. .
