Four objectors released from prison

by: Amy

Spain: Saturday, 25 May, the day after the suspension of Obligatory Military Service (SMO) and of obligatory Civil Service, conscientious objectors were released from the Military Jail of Alcala de Henares and the Provincial Prison
of Bilbao.

Five months after the suspension of the SMO the government has been forced to release objectors. This appears to be an attempt to hide the fact that the professionalisation of the armed forces is failing.

Although the government has spent the last 14 months denying the existence of the objectors, it went on to suggest the rebels requested their own pardons: a clumsy attempt to create a false debate centred on the legal situation of the objectors. As part of the process of demilitarisation, CO group MOC rejected a legal approach to their political stance – the aim of which is the abolition of the army.

MOC commented that the approach of the government will not dissuade them from further action, but rather, shows the effectiveness of protest. “It is a priority of the army to silence the antimilitarist dissidence that has ended the military vocation. The release of a few objectors and the aims of the military will not demobilise the antimilitarist movement as it targets the government, but reaffirm the value of our protest against injustice and war. We will continue to use our tools: civil disobedience, non-violence and common sense.”

NB: This legalisation does not affect to the antimilitarist, Ander Eiguren, imprisoned, charged with vandalising military installations.

Contacts:

Movimiento de Objeción de Conciencia (MOC)
http://www.uv.es/~alminyan/

Tel.Madrid: 003491 878 94 59 y 0034 658 441 079 ó 0034616994 392. E-mail: insupiso@teleline.es
Tel.Bilbao: 0034609469599

Grupo Antimilitarista de Carabanchel:
http://www.nodo50.org/moc-carabanchel