FREE Jonathan Pollard

The enslavement of the Jewish People in Egypt Began with the betrayal and imprisonment of one man Joseph. It was Joseph's own brothers who abandoned him. We repeat the story of the exodus every year at Passover to remind ourselves that for the Jew history repeats itself in every generation.

In November of 1985, Jonathan Pollard, an Intelligence Researcher and analyst was arrested and charged with spying on behalf of Israel. The government of the United States prosecuted him under the least severe statute to witness; passing non injurious information to an ally.

He was not charged with treason because the information he gave to Israel was not harmful to the U.S. int*** was not given to an enemy country (in fact Israel is supposed to be an ally) and because it was not in a time of war.

All similar spies in similar situations had reviewed sentences ranging from one to four years. In 1986, a plea bargain was entered into ( an agreement proposed by the U.S. Justice Department as being beneficial to Pollard); the U.S. Government said it would not ask for a life sentence for him if he pled guilty. The plea bargain agreement was violated by the U.S. Justice department and Jonathan is currently serving a sentence of life in prison. Do not be deceived Jonathan Pollard was sentenced harshly forth the betrayal of his country, Jonathan Pollard was imprisoned for life because he was a Jew.

President Reagan, in 1983, was signed an executive agreement with Israel in which the U.S. promised to relay all available intelligence vital to Israel's survival. This was an exchange agreement done in the best interest of both countries. Pollard knew about this executive agreement, but did what disturbed him most was the fact that his immediate superiors in Navel Intelligence selectively ignored their obligation to transfer this material. .

Pollard was motivated by a need to help save lives. The information he gave to Israel concerned such things as a Syrian and Iraqi chemical, biological and nuclear missile development and deployment and buildup. He gave no information which would have compromised America's vital interest. At the time of his arrest Jonathan appealed to the government of Israel. His pleas fell on deaf ears. Then he appealed to the Jews of the United States who, rather than defend him, rushed to condemn him. The Cleveland Jewish Federation continues its refusal to support his release. In the words of Allen Dershowitz: " The Pollard case is the greatest miscarriage of justice in America." It is now time to for us to come to the rescue of this modern day Jewish hero, we in Betar have dedicated the year 1995 as the year to secure Jonathan Pollards freedom. We urge you to join us in our fight.

In September 1995 Jonathan will have his first and maybe his only parole hearing. He has already served over ten years in captivity. He has been imprisoned in the asylum for the criminally insane. He has been in solitary confinement three floors underground in the notorious Marion prison.

Enough is enough. It is time for Jonathan to go free.

As I said, Jonathan is entitled to a parole hearing which has now been scheduled for September of this year. Since the exact date of the hearing is still unknown, for intents and purposes, we are choosing the first week in September as a deadline for those who wish to help Jonathan during his final push for freedom. We are asking your help in the following ways:

(1) Although President Clinton decided in March of 1994 not to grant communication of Jonathan's sentence to time served based on humanitarian grounds, we are approaching him with another request for communication. We are requesting that Jonathan's sentence be commuted to time served as of the date he is eligible for parole (November 1995);

(2) At the same time, we are asking that you send an e-mail, fax, or letter to the U.S. Parole Commission asking them to grant parole;

(3) and an e-mail, fax, or letter to Prime Minister Rabin at this time would also be helpful. Although he has asked President Clinton to grant Jonathan Pollard his freedom on three occasions ( most recently in early May), we believe he will continue to press this issue until it is resolved. It would be helpful to send him a letter thanking him for his help and urging him to continue to press President Clinton on this matter.

Please help us with this final push for Jonathan's freedom. If Jonathan is not granted relief now, it will probably be many years before he is again eligible for a chance to gain his freedom.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call, write or fax me at: Dennis Seaman Atty. at Law 1600 Rockefeller Bldg., Cleveland, OH 44113 (216) 850-9519 Fax: 696-8558 If you have already written to President Clinton, the U.S. Parole Commission, or Prime Minister Rabin, please send me copies of your letters for our files.

INFORMATION WHICH CAN BE USED FOR LETTERS SENT ON BEHALF OF JONATHAN POLLARD TO PRESIDENT CLINTON, THE PAROLE COMMISSION AND PRIME MINISTER RABIN

1. The only concessions made by the U.S. Government in exchange for Jonathan Pollard's plea of guilty and extensive cooperation was that they would not seek a life sentence. Despite this, a memorandum submitted by then-Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger to the sentencing judge immediately before sentencing accused Jonathan of "treason" and implicitly sought the maximum sentence. The court was swayed to dispense an unprecedented punishment - life imprisonment, despite the fact that Jonathan's plea saved the government a very costly trial - one that was potentially damaging to the relationship between the U.S. and Israel.

2. The life sentence, imposed on the Jonathan for spying for an ally in time of peace is excessive when compared to the sentences of those convicted of similar crimes. For those individuals who spied on behalf of Great Britain, Greece, and African nations including Egypt, the median sentence is less than 5 years, with time actually served averaging less than 4 years.

3. Jonathan Pollard has spent most of the past 10 years enduring extremely harsh prison conditions: 10 and 1/2 months in a ward for the criminally insane where there was no need for treatment (this was stamped on his papers), and 5 and 1/2 years in solitary confinement in Marion Prison -- the harshest federal prison in the United States.

4. The Justice Department, in defense of the sentence, has stated that people do get disproportionate sentences -- it's a "fact of life." But our system of justice demands that this type of legal deficit be corrected. In 1976, by the creation of new Parole Board guidelines, it became the responsibility of the Justice Department and the Parole Commission to bring unjust sentences into line.

5. Jonathan Pollard has repeatedly expressed deep and genuine remorse for his crime. Whatever stern warnings the U.S. meant to convey to Israel, and to other potential American spies, have been conveyed. Considering the sentences given to others, the ten years he has served is sufficient punishment for his crime. The criminal justice system should not be used as a weapon of political retribution. Enough is enough!

6. The security agencies of the U.S. Government are adamantly opposed to Jonathan's parole, yet they cannot produce any evidence of demonstrable harm that has been done. Jonathan was never accused of treason, or of harming the United States, yet they persist, ten years after the fact, in saying Jonathan "could have caused damage." At the time of his sentencing, these speculative statements were worst case scenarios and hyperbole. Now they are simply inaccurate. Any knowledge Jonathan had ten years ago is no longer current Statements that Jonathan is continuing to release information for prison have been proven false. All Jonathan's mail has been censored by the prison authorities and Naval intelligence.

7. The Aldrich Ames spy case should aid Jonathan's case for release. Akmes caused the deaths of many American agents, "rolled up" many allied operations against the Soviets, and caused great loss of vital strategic information to an enemy nation. Aldrich Ames also operated for material gain -- over $15 million. Jonathan did none of this. In fact, during the past eight years, Jonathan was blamed by the security agencies for problems created by Ames. Ames and Pollard got the same life sentences; the only difference is that Jonathan is eligible for parole. We have to make this count for something.

8. We ask that Jonathan be granted parole - both to address his disparate sentence, particularly in light of the fact that no actual harm was done, and to finally acknowledge what should have been given him as part of his plea "bargain," i.e., less than the maximum sentence. Jonathan gave up his right to trial, and voluntarily gave prosecuted. He deserved something in return.

9. Patriotism without justice is tyranny.

10. Along with President Clinton, we believe in the G-d Second Chances.

http://www.csuohio.edu/tagar/jona.html