Monica Benderman stands by her husband Sergeant Kevin Benderman, who was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment on July 28 after he refused to return for a second tour of duty with the US army in Iraq.

Kevin had been a US soldier for ten years of his life and had served in Iraq from March to September 2003, but he refused to deploy to Iraq a second time, citing his moral and religious objections to the war in Iraq, which developed in response to his experiences as a soldier in Iraq.

Monica Benderman is speaking out in support of her husband and she has said she will do whatever she can "to ensure that the most people possible realize the true significance of Kevin's stand for moral conscience, and in defense of soldiers, past and present."

Monica is heading up Kevin's defense committee and provides information to the soldiers who are coming to her in response to hearing about Kevin. Monica has stated: "I am proud of my husband - and I stand with him in his conviction that, as human beings, we must rise above violence and reach for a better way."

Kevin's application for conscientious objector status was turned down by the military authorities and he was convicted of Missing Movement and sentenced to 15 months confinement, received a reduction in rank, loss of pay and dishonorable discharge. His lawyers are appealing against the verdict.

Monica is requesting that the appeal process for Kevin's case be allowed to proceed without delay, and that he be given fair treatment not only in a re-presentation of the facts surrounding his court martial, but that he also be given the opportunity to have his application for Conscientious Objector status reconsidered as well.

Amnesty International considers Kevin Benderman to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for his conscientious objection to the war in Iraq.

Monica states "Sgt. Kevin Benderman will serve his time, but he will do it knowing that he has done nothing wrong - that his is a stand, not only for Conscientious Objection and a non-violent resolution to our problems, but also for the right of soldiers to be treated with respect, to be given the honor they deserve, and to have the sacrifice that they have made in their service to this country met with equal sacrifice by those they have volunteered to defend. "

With her presentations, Monica will have available for screening a 10 minute documentary made by Luna Productions about conscienscious objectors to the war in Iraq which includes Kevin.

Topics covered

• Supporting Our Soldiers
• Non-violence: There is Another Way
• Conscientious Objection & the Military Justice System