Sunday, December 1, 2013

[SDCPJ] TODAY AT 3PM: Rally for Kimberly Rivera and her newborn son!

Clemency for Imprisoned War Resister Kimberly Rivera Denied!

by Staff on November 30, 2013 · 0 comments

Rally Dec. 1 in protest of Rivera's separation from new born son to serve remaining 4o day sentence.

By Staff

Matthew Rivera

Kimberly Rivera gave birth to her son Matthew Kaden Rivera in the Naval Hospital on November 25th. Her husband Mario was initially denied access to the birthing room but was ultimately granted permission to attend the delivery. Although the delivery itself went smoothly, this was no ordinary birth– Rivera has been serving a ten month sentence for deserting the US army while deployed in Iraq. She deserted in 2007 because she felt morally unable to take part in the conflict. She was arrested after she was denied refugee protection in Canada in September 2012.

Amnesty International has requested urgent action on her case based on humanitarian reasons because of her pregnancy. Rivera is the mother of four other children, ages 11, 9, 4 and 2. She has been separated from her family in Texas since she began serving her sentence here in San Diego.

When Fort Carson Senior Commander Brigadier General Michael A. Bills rejected her application for clemency on November 27th, Rivera sustained yet another separation–from her newborn son Matthew, who is being cared for now by his father here in San Diego. Military regulations reportedly include no provision for her to breastfeed her baby while she is in prison.

Rivera has less then forty days remaining on her sentence. She is scheduled for release in early January 2014. It is impossible to view Brigadier General Bills' refusal of clemency as anything less than excessively punitive and cruel. He is punishing a newborn infant and four other young children as well as Rivera.