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| Bowe Bergdahl enters no plea at arraignment over desertion charges | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US amy sergeant Bowe Bergdahl made his first appearance before a military judge on Tuesday, to face charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy for walking off his post in eastern Afghanistan in 2009. | |
| The 29-year-old was captured by the Taliban and held captive for five years before being released in May 2014 in a controversial prisoner swap. Bergdahl was returned to the US in exchange for five detainees being held at Guantánamo Bay. | The 29-year-old was captured by the Taliban and held captive for five years before being released in May 2014 in a controversial prisoner swap. Bergdahl was returned to the US in exchange for five detainees being held at Guantánamo Bay. |
| On Tuesday morning, he appeared in military court at Fort Bragg army base in North Carolina. | |
| During the short hearing, he deferred entering a plea and did not decide whether he wanted to face a court-martial trial with a jury or one with only a judge. | |
| He gave one-word questions about whether he understood his rights and the court proceedings as he sat very still. His hair was close-cropped and he was wearing his army dress uniform of dark blue jacket and pants. | |
| The exact circumstances of Bergdahl’s disappearance in 2009 are cloaked in mystery, and his high-profile story is currently the subject of the second series of the podcast Serial. | The exact circumstances of Bergdahl’s disappearance in 2009 are cloaked in mystery, and his high-profile story is currently the subject of the second series of the podcast Serial. |
| Bergdahl’s arraignment will be held at the Fort Bragg army base in North Carolina. If convicted, Bergdahl faces life in prison on the misbehavior charge and up to five years for desertion. | |
| It was announced earlier in December that he would face trial in a general court-martial. | It was announced earlier in December that he would face trial in a general court-martial. |
| The surprise prisoner swap in 2014 sparked a firestorm of criticism and intrigue. Critics said that Barack Obama’s decision to exchange Bergdahl for Guantánamo detainees jeopardized the safety of the nation. | The surprise prisoner swap in 2014 sparked a firestorm of criticism and intrigue. Critics said that Barack Obama’s decision to exchange Bergdahl for Guantánamo detainees jeopardized the safety of the nation. |
| The possibility that he might face a light punishment has angered many in the military, who say his fellow soldiers took considerable risk when they went searching for him in enemy territory. | The possibility that he might face a light punishment has angered many in the military, who say his fellow soldiers took considerable risk when they went searching for him in enemy territory. |
| During a two-day military hearing in September, military prosecutors said Bergdahl had intended to desert his post. | During a two-day military hearing in September, military prosecutors said Bergdahl had intended to desert his post. |
| But the solider and his advocates argue that he had no intention of putting anyone at risk or neglecting his duty and was just trying to make a report of mismanagement. | But the solider and his advocates argue that he had no intention of putting anyone at risk or neglecting his duty and was just trying to make a report of mismanagement. |
| In October, military officials presiding at a hearing in the case recommended that Bergdahl should face a lesser “special court-martial” but should not have to serve a sentence in a military prison. | In October, military officials presiding at a hearing in the case recommended that Bergdahl should face a lesser “special court-martial” but should not have to serve a sentence in a military prison. |
| They advocated instead that he be subject to a military code that brings lesser sanctions, such as a demotion or extra duties. And they argued that he was not a Taliban sympathizer and had merely been overly idealistic and disillusioned when he walked off the base, with the aim of reporting concerns about his unit. | They advocated instead that he be subject to a military code that brings lesser sanctions, such as a demotion or extra duties. And they argued that he was not a Taliban sympathizer and had merely been overly idealistic and disillusioned when he walked off the base, with the aim of reporting concerns about his unit. |
| Military chiefs have not explained what actions Bergdahl is specifically accused of that warranted the grave charge of misbehavior before the enemy. | Military chiefs have not explained what actions Bergdahl is specifically accused of that warranted the grave charge of misbehavior before the enemy. |
| In the Uniform Code of Military Justice, a misbehavior charge can include running away, “shamefully” abandoning a military unit, endangering the unit or engaging in “cowardly” conduct. It can also cover failing “to do the utmost to capture or destroy enemy troops”. | In the Uniform Code of Military Justice, a misbehavior charge can include running away, “shamefully” abandoning a military unit, endangering the unit or engaging in “cowardly” conduct. It can also cover failing “to do the utmost to capture or destroy enemy troops”. |
| Bergdahl was the last American soldier held captive in Afghanistan before his release in May 2014. | Bergdahl was the last American soldier held captive in Afghanistan before his release in May 2014. |
| Official reports have detailed his accounts of a harrowing time in captivity, where he was brutally beaten, kept in pitch darkness or constant bright light in isolation, shut in a cage, subjected to humiliations and given no information on what was going to happen to him. He tried in vain to escape many times. | Official reports have detailed his accounts of a harrowing time in captivity, where he was brutally beaten, kept in pitch darkness or constant bright light in isolation, shut in a cage, subjected to humiliations and given no information on what was going to happen to him. He tried in vain to escape many times. |
| Bergdahl, an Idaho native, is currently serving on an army base in San Antonio, Texas. | Bergdahl, an Idaho native, is currently serving on an army base in San Antonio, Texas. |