Ehren Watada
Amnesty International: Watada would be prisoner of conscience PDF Print E-mail

February 2, 2007

USA: War objector’s freedom of conscience must be respected

Pending the trial on Monday 5 February of Ehren Watada over his refusal to participate in the Iraq war, Amnesty International stated that a guilty verdict would be a violation of internationally recognized rights to conscientious objection.

“If found guilty, Amnesty International would consider Ehren Watada to be a prisoner of conscience and call for his immediate and unconditional release”, said Susan Lee, Amnesty International’s Americas Programme Director.

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Judge rules “illegal war” debate forbidden during court martial PDF Print E-mail

All political speech charges go to trial

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Lt. Ehren Watada during pre-trial hearing 1/4/07. Photo: Jeff Paterson
Courage to Resist. January 16, 2007

Nearly two weeks after hearing arguments in the January 4 pre-trial phase of Lt. Ehren Watada’s court martial for refusing to deploy to Iraq, and explaining his refusal to the press, military circuit judge Lt. Col. John M. Head today issued brief, tersely worded rulings January 16, 2007. In summation, “The defense motion for a hearing on the “Nuremburg defense” is DENIED. The government motion to prevent the defense from presenting evidence on the legality of the war is GRANTED.” The defense motion to dismiss the four political speech charges was also “DENIED.”

View Judge Head's rulings:
U.S. v. Watada Ruling: Article 133
U.S. v. Watada Ruling: Lawfulness of Order

In response to today’s rulings, Lt. Watada’s civilian attorney Eric Seitz of Honolulu declared, “These rulings exemplify the fact that this is a military disciplinary proceeding, and apparently not an actual trial in which concepts of justice apply. Now let someone ask me if I think Ehren can get a fair trial in a military court.” In summation, “These rulings are about as horrible and inept as I could have imagined,” added Seitz.

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Lt. Watada to the Vets for Peace National Convention PDF Print E-mail

ImageSEATTLE (August 12, 2006) - Hundreds of military veterans welcome Iraq war refuse Lt. Ehren Watada as a keynote speaker of the Veterans for Peace National Convention with chants of "thank you LT!" This his Lt. Watada's speech:

Thank you everyone. Thank you all for your tremendous support. How honored and delighted I am to be in the same room with you tonight. I am deeply humbled by being in the company of such wonderful speakers.

You are all true American patriots. Although long since out of uniform, you continue to fight for the very same principles you once swore to uphold and defend. No one knows the devastation and suffering of war more than veterans - which is why we should always be the first to prevent it.

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Photos of Lt. Ehren Watada PDF Print E-mail

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Lt. Watada and mother Carolyn Ho
Photos of Lt. Ehren Watada from Courage to Resist

These include: Lt. Watada's initial June 7, 2006 press conference in Tacoma, Washington; His speech to the National Veterans for Peace convention in Seattle August 12, 2006; A press conference following the August 17, 2006 article 32 pre-trial hearing; A break in the January 5, 2007 pre-trial hearing on Fort Lewis, Washington.

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Lt. Watada supporters join SF march 1/27/07 PDF Print E-mail

Image Many supporters of Lt. Watada joined a mass march of 10,000 in San Francisco January 27, 2007 to call for an immediate withdrawal of troops from the ongoing occupation war in Iraq. A number of speakers talked about the need to support Lt. Ehren Watada, the first officer to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq, during his upcoming Feb. 5 court martial at Fort Lewis, Washington. One of those speakers was Lt. Watada’s mother Carolyn Ho. The crowd was also urged to remember Army Spc. Agustin Aguayo who is facing a March court martial, a seven years in prison, for refusing to return to Iraq. Spc. Aguayo filled for a conscientious objector discharge during his previous deployment to Iraq in February 2004. He served a full year there, all the while refusing to load his weapon. The military denied his discharge anyway.

Photo gallery by Jeff Paterson / Courage to Resist

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U.S. Army's subpeona of journalists threatens First Amendment rights PDF Print E-mail

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Journalist Sarah Olson, on assignment for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., interviews war resister Pablo Paredes in Los Angeles, March 2006. Photo by Yasemin Kasim.
Courage to Resist. January 17, 2007

In a move which threatens the First Amendment rights of journalists, the U.S. Army has subpoenaed journalist Sarah Olson to testify at the February 5 court-martial of Lt. Ehren Watada. The Army placed another journalist, Dahr Jamail, on the prosecution witness list.

With yesterday’s ruling by military judge Lt. Col. John Head that all charges against Lt. Watada will go to trial next month, a showdown between these reporters and the military draws nearer.

Both journalists are fighting back, saying the Army’s attempt to compel their participation in the court-martial threatens press freedom and chills free speech.

“My duty,” Olson says, “is to the public and its right to know and not to the government.” In a recent San Francisco Chronicle article, Olson explained, “Journalists should not be asked to participate in the prosecution of political speech.”

 

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Lt. Watada hearing tackles free speech for soldiers, relevancy of truth PDF Print E-mail

Journalists and anti-war activists subpoenaed for Army prosecution

Jeff Paterson, Courage to Resist. January 7, 2007

FORT LEWIS, WA - U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada became the first commissioned officer to refuse his orders to deploy to Iraq last June 22. In his upcoming February court-martial Lt. Watada faces one charge of missing troop movement, and four counts of conduct unbecoming an officer. Each of the later four charges relates to Lt. Watada’s public explanations of his refusal to deploy to Iraq. If convicted of all charges Lt. Watada faces six years in prison, four of which would be for speaking to the press.

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Attend the court martial of Lt. Watada PDF Print E-mail

Can the public attend the court martial proceedings on Fort Lewis?

YES! Military court martials are open to the public per R.C.M. 806(a) (Rules for Court Martial).

"Public" includes both military and civilian communities. However, Fort Lewis is a closed installation and ALL visitors require a visitors pass to enter Ft. Lewis. So let's fill the courtroom with supporters! Read more to find out how to get there, how to obtain a visitor's pass, and when and where to go.

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