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.
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