Army deserter seeks review of asylum refusal

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

Canadian Press

TORONTO — An American soldier who fled the U.S. military to avoid going to Iraq wants the Federal Court to examine Canada's refusal to accept him as a refugee in a case that one human-rights expert says raises broader legal issues about war crimes.

The application to review last month's Immigration and Refugee Board decision, which found Jeremy Hinzman had not shown a well-founded fear of persecution if returned to the United States, was filed Thursday with the Federal Court.

Hinzman wants the court to set aside the board's decision. He also wants the court to declare him a refugee, or at least refer the matter back to the board for further consideration.

The application cites several grounds, including "that the board erred in law in misapplying, misconstruing and ignoring relevant evidence." It says the board made "patently unreasonable findings of fact" and failed to "observe the principles of natural justice."

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http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1112925281505_3/?hub=Canada

[meganmonkey]

1. I really admire this guy

and I hope that things work out for him. It takes courage to leave the military when they don't want to let you go.

[lenidog]

3. I see it differently

Courage would be telling his superiors that he believed it was an unjust war and that there was no way in hell he was going to participate in it and then facing the consequences. What he did here was sneak away, show up in Canada and say keep me here so I don't have to actually stand up for what I believe in.

[meganmonkey]

4. Wow.

Wow.
This guy fought in Afghanistan, has a young son and a wife...If he stays here, he will definitely go to jail, and in theory could even be put to death (unlikely, but you never know what this sick administration will do). He has been very vocal about this being an unjust war. I recommend looking at his website. It isn't really up-to-date but it has a lot of background info and a FAQ.

http://www.jeremyhinzman.net/faq.html

I choose to be supportive of all the military men and women who refuse to fight in this illegal war, who refuse to participate in the slaughter of thousands of innocent people. If people don't change their minds about things, this country will never get better! Shouldn't we encourage this rather than criticize it? When they leave the military, they don't have a lot of options. That isn't their fault.

[jukes]

5. lenidog

the Bureau of Prisons has spawned the Abu Graib monsters; he'd have a better chance for survival in combat.

ANY resistance to the war is honorable, & becoming an outcaste expatriot isn't a picnic.

[bluestateguy]

2. He's just buying time. It's not going to work

I suspect he'll be in jail by this time next year.