|
Jeremy Hinzman facing deportation
Skyler James
resists war, harassment Tim Richard
turns against Iraq War
Robin Long to face "desertion" trial Friday
Please donate to Robin's legal defense. We are currently $1,200 short of the projected total expenses. Luckily, that is only a dozen supporters like you who might give $100 each. Last month 25-year-old U.S. Army PFC Robin Long became the first war resister since the Vietnam War to be forcefully deported from Canadian soil and handed over to military authorities. Robin is currently being held in the El Paso County Jail, near Colorado Springs, Colorado, awaiting a military court martial for resisting the unjust and illegal war against and occupation of Iraq. Robin will be court martialed on Friday for desertion “with intent to remain away permanently”—Article 85 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The maximum allowable penalty for a guilty verdict on this charge is three years confinement, forfeiture of pay, and a dishonorable discharge from the Army. If convicted, Robin is expected to be transferred to the Army's stockade at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
At 19, the Boise, Idaho native joined the Army on the promise that he would not be deployed to Iraq. However, in April 2005 Robin was ordered to Fort Carson in preparation for deployment to Iraq. Robin recounted, “My superiors were telling me; ‘You're going to the desert to fight rag heads’. It wasn't like I was going to Iraq to liberate the people.” After his Army “battle buddy” didn’t report for deployment by leaving for Canada, Robin also went AWOL and hitchhiked to Canada, eventually settling down with help of the War Resisters Support Campaign. Send a letter to Robin Robin Long, CJC Check couragetoresist.org for updates on Robin’s case
Hinzman family faces Canada deportation
In spite of Hinzman’s four and a half years living, working and raising a family in Canada, the Harper government plans to deport him to the United States where he will likely face a court martial and a potential military jail sentence and felony conviction. This flies in the face of democracy and the will of Canadians: Parliament passed a motion in support of war resisters June 3rd, 82% of Canadians oppose the Iraq war (Strategic Counsel poll), and 64% of Canadians support war resisters (Angus Reid poll). In July, while Courage to Resist joined Veterans for Peace to stage 14 delegations at Canadian consulates across the U.S., a Canadian Federal Court granted Corey Glass a last minute reprieve of at least several months while his lawyers appeal earlier negative rulings. We are hoping that another judge will do the same for Jeremy and his family. On June 3rd, Canadian Parliament made an historic vote in favor of anyone seeking refuge from fighting in the unjust and illegal occupation of Iraq. While this is an amazing victory, the motion is non-binding. The Conservative government led by Stephen Harper—a close ally of the Bush-Cheney endless war agenda—continues to move forward with deportations of war resisters. Email and phone Minister Finley and Prime Minister Harper. Ask them to fully implement the June 3rd Parliament resolution to allow Jeremy and all war resisters to remain in Canada. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane
Finley War Resisters Support Campaign (Canada) contributed to this update.
|
Robin Long to be court martialed Friday
Courage to Resist.
July 19, 2008
U.S. Iraq
War resister Jeremy Hinzman and his wife and two children have been
ordered to
leave Canada by September 23rd.
