Gulf War resisters on trial

by: War Resisters' International and Jess

Britain/USA: On Thursday, 4 September 2003, US Gulf War conscientious objector Stephen Funk (US13180) will be on trial in New Orleans, on charges of desertion. He faces a sentence of up to two years in prison. Until authorities decide his punishment Funk will be allowed to go home at the end of each day, on the condition that he returns every morning to the Marine Corps reserve centre in San Jose where he is stationed.Stephen Funk became a conscientious objector earlier this year, and turned himself in to the military in early April, after completing his application for conscientious objection.

On Thursday, 11 September 2003, UK Gulf War resister Moshin Khan (UK13640), a Muslim Royal Air Force reservist who was disciplined for refusing to fight in the Iraq war on religious grounds, will appear in court at RAF Uxbridge. Moshin Khan left the RAF in 2001, but was called up on 27 January under the Reserve Forces Act for a nine-month term. He was arrested and charged with going absent without leave from his base at RAF Honnington. It is alleged that Moshin Khan went into hiding after being called up for pre-deployment training. After his arrest, he received a punishment of seven days' restrictions and nine days' forfeiture of pay, but appealed, so that the disciplinary action was not taken. At a first appeal hearing on Thursday, 31 July, the case was adjourned for a two-day hearing at RAF Uxbridge beginning on 11 September.

Source: http://www.wri-irg.org/news/htdocs/20030404a.html

A statement by Stephen Funk can be read at http://www.notinourname.net/funk/funk_26jun03_text.htm.

War Resisters' International calls for support for these Gulf War resisters (and others). You can write support emails to Stephen Funk at stephenfunk@objector.org - unfortunately, we do not have any address for Moshin Khan.

War Resisters' International calls for protest letters to the UK and US authorities, and embassies abroad.

A list of US embassies is available at http://usembassy.state.gov/.

You can also send letters to:

Commandant of the Marine Corps, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, DC 20380-1775, USA

Commanding Officer, Headquarters, 4th FSSG 4400 Dauphine Street, New Orleans, LA 70146-5400, USA

Adam Ingram MP, Minister of State for the Armed Forces The Ministerial Correspondence Unit, Room 222, Old War Office, Whitehall, London SW1A 2EU, Britain

Source: War Resisters' International