Jailed for nine months
UK REFUSENIK JOE GLENTON IS INNOCENT!
DROP ALL THE CHARGES!
On 5 March Joe Glenton was sentenced to nine months and was demoted to private but he was not discharged from the army. He is in military prison in Colchester.
Joe could have got two years the shorter sentence no doubt reflects public support and pressure on politicians and the military. But nine months is still unjust and cruel, considering that Joe suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Sue Glenton, his mother, commented:
"I am extremely angry. The court barely paid lip service to
justice. The judge clearly didn't listen to the arguments, or
if she did she ignored them.
The lawyers lodged an appeal.
The Ministry of Defence will be hearing a lot more from me."
Sue told Payday that she and Clare, Joes wife, have to travel more than 200 miles to visit him, and that conditions inside the prison are harsh. The Army has stopped Joes pay -- he gets only 88p a day pocket money! He cannot receive any money, food, clothes or cigarettes from outside. He is allowed only ten minutes a week for telephone calls and (apart from his lawyer) two hours a week for visits. He has no internet access. He can use the gym for an hour a day. Military discipline is enforced, and he must wear a uniform. Crucially, he is getting no help with his PTSD. But Sue said that Joe is in a defiant mood he is getting a lot of support from outside as well as from other prisoners inside.
International support for Joe before the court martial
On 4-5 March there were demonstrations at British embassies and consulates in Athens, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Moscow, Philadelphia and Rome, and at his court martial in Colchester. Activists collected signatures in Rome, Cremona and Venice. In Ireland people called the British Embassy to protest. See photos here. If you know of other actions, please tell us about them.
Payday London held a demonstration outside of the Ministry of Defence, and delivered the International letter of protest. The event was attended by Italian Senator Marco Perduca of Partito Radicale Transnazionale. Over 1,200 people from 40 countries signed the letter. Among the signatories were Dario Fo, 1997 Nobel Prize winner for Literature, internationally known actor and playwright Franca Rame (Dario Fos wife and collaborator), and MEP Gianni Vattimo.
The support must continue - what we can do now
● Email your support for Joe, Sue & Clare Glenton to: defendjoeglenton@gmail.com
● Write letters to: Joe Glenton, Military Corrective Training Centre, Berechurch Hall Camp, Colchester CO2 9NU, UK
● Send email postcards through Connection e.V. (Deutsch, English, Français, Italiano, Русский, Türkçe)
For more details & news of future initiatives check: www.refusingtokill.net
Payday
mens network
working with the Global Womens Strike
PO Box 287 London NW6 2QU, UK Tel: +44-20-72094751