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Congressman Smith Meets with Key Bolivian Officials on Plight of Imprisoned American
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(1888PressRelease) Congressman raises human rights case of Jacob Ostreicher, imprisoned businessman for over one year with no charges, no bail.
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CongressmanSmithMeetswithKeyBolivianOfficialsonPlightof
ImprisonedAmerican
(1888PressRelease)CongressmanraiseshumanrightscaseofJacobOstreicher,imprisoned
businessmanforoveroneyearwithnocharges,nobail.
(1888PressRelease)NewYork,NYU.S.CongressmanChrisSmith(NJ04),chairmanof
theHousepanelthatoverseesinternationalhumanrights,metwithhighlevelBolivian
governmentofficialsinthecapitalcityofLaPaztoadvocateonbehalfofAmerican
businessmanJacobOstreicher,heldinBoliviaforoverayearwithoutformalchargesand
withoutbailatthedangerousPalmasolaprison.
Smithmetwithofficials,includingBolivianMinisterofGovernmentCarlosRomeroand
MinisterofJusticeCeciliaLuisaAyllon,aswellasViceForeignMinisterJuanCarlos
Alurralde,todiscussthecaseofOstreicher,whosedaughterlivesinSmith'sdistrictinNew
Jersey.AccordingtoSmiththeconversationwasvery"indepthandcandid."
"Afteralongmeeting,MinisterAyllonconcludedthat'YouragonyforJacobOstreicheris
likemyagonyforBolivianswhoareinthesamesituation.'Asajudgefor13yearsherself,
shepointedouttheabuseoffilingfalsechargesandotherirregularitiesliketheprocessof
recusingjudgesleadingtolengthydelaysisawidespreadproblem,"Smithsaid.
SmithsaidMinisterAyllonpromisedtopersonallylookintoJacobOstriecher'scase.
"MinisterRomerolistenedtomeattentivelyasIrecountedtheinjusticeofJacob'sstoryof
repeatedcourtdelaysinitiatedagainsthimbytheprosecutorsandlackofevidenceagainst
him,"Smithsaid."Healsosaidheandhischiefofstaff,whowasinthemeeting,will
vigorouslyfollowup.
"There'sapromiseonpaperfoundintheBolivianconstitution,Article116,andinthe
criminalprocedurecode,Article6,thatguaranteesa'presumptionofinnocenceuntil
provenguilty,'justlikeintheUnitedStates,"saidSmith."Shockingly,Jacobhashadnosuch
presumptionofinnocenceinthisentireordeal.
"Forwelloverayear,eventhoughhewasnotchargedwithanycrime,theoriginal
documentthatledtohisarrestandjailingspecificallystatedthathewasguiltyuntilproven
innocent,"Smithsaid."That'saviolationofBolivianlawandisunconscionable.Jacob
Ostreicher'scaseisanegregiousexampleofaviolationofboththeBolivianconstitution
andthecriminalcode.Frankly,bothJacobandthepeopleofBoliviadeservebetter."
Smith,whowasinthecourtroomwithJacobonMonday,saidtheMinistryofGovernment
prosecutorsdemandedthatthejudgerecusehimself,atacticusedtodelayanddenythe
administrationofjustice.
"Let'snotforgetthehearingMondaywasaboutbailforanAmericanwhowaschargedwith
nothingandwhocontinuestosufferinprison,"Smithsaid."ProsecutorFernandoRivera
said'Thishearingcannottakeplace'andtoldthejudge'Youcannotpresideoverthiscase,'
offeringnoproofastowhy.Ifthejudgeheardthecaseforbail,theprosecutortoldhim'we
willbeforcedtoinitiatelegalactionsagainstyou.'"
SmithsaidthatwhilethejudgeseeminglyrejectedthatthreatMonday,henonetheless
orderedthattherecusalissuebeconsideredbyanotherjudgeorpanelofjudges,andthus
neverdecidedonJacob'sbail,resultinginyetanotherdelay.
"Bolivianlawsuggeststhatsuchahearingonthejudgerecusalissueshouldoccurwithin24
to72hours,"Smithsaid."Tothebestofmyknowledge,weareunawareifitwillbeheard
withinthistimeframe."
SmithnotedthatonSept.23,2011ninemonthsagoanotherjudgehadorderedOstreicher
releasedonbail,onlytoreversehimselfwithindayswithoutexplanation.
IneverymeetingwithgovernmentofficialsinLaPaz,Smithsaidheconveyedastrong
senseofurgencythathewasdeeplyconcernedaboutJacob'sdeterioratinghealth,boththe
consequencesofhistwomonthhungerstrikeongoingsinceApril15andhislong,unjust
incarceration.Thecongressmansaidhewasconcernedoveranyopportunisticinfection
thatamanwithadegradedimmunesystemcouldcontract.Smithsaidhealsowasworried
aboutpossibleviolenceintheprison.
"IraisedconcernswithofficialsregardingJacob'sphysicalsafetyintheprison,"hesaid."He
isatgraverisk."
Notingthatheauthoredthehistoric,comprehensiveU.S.humantraffickinglawsThe
TraffickingVictimsProtectionActof2000Smithsaidhehas"zerotoleranceoftraffickingin
allofitsuglymanifestations,includinghumantraffickingandnarcotrafficking."Infact,
SmithhadmeetingsthisweekwithaspecialunitofBolivianprosecutorsandforensic
doctorswhoassistwomeninprosecutingsextraffickingcases.Healsovisitedsex
traffickingvictimssheltersforminors(currently,therearenosuchsheltersforadultsin
Bolivia).HeplannedadditionalmeetingsFriday,includingapressconferenceonthe
Ostreichercasesetfor10a.m.(EST)attheU.S.embassyinLaPaz.
"IwouldnotbehereifIweren'tabsolutelyconvincedofJacobOstreicher'sinnocence,"
Smithsaid.
OnJune6,thecongressionalsubcommitteeonhumanrightsSmithchairsheardfrom
Ostreicher'sdesperatewifeanddaughter,aswellasaformerFBIagentfamiliarwiththe
casewhoalsoassertsthereisnoevidenceagainstOstreicher.
http://www.freejacobblog.com
TrackbackUrl:
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/congressmansmithmeetswithkeybolivianofficials
onplighpr404038.html
###
ImprisonedAmerican
(1888PressRelease)CongressmanraiseshumanrightscaseofJacobOstreicher,imprisoned
businessmanforoveroneyearwithnocharges,nobail.
(1888PressRelease)NewYork,NYU.S.CongressmanChrisSmith(NJ04),chairmanof
theHousepanelthatoverseesinternationalhumanrights,metwithhighlevelBolivian
governmentofficialsinthecapitalcityofLaPaztoadvocateonbehalfofAmerican
businessmanJacobOstreicher,heldinBoliviaforoverayearwithoutformalchargesand
withoutbailatthedangerousPalmasolaprison.
Smithmetwithofficials,includingBolivianMinisterofGovernmentCarlosRomeroand
MinisterofJusticeCeciliaLuisaAyllon,aswellasViceForeignMinisterJuanCarlos
Alurralde,todiscussthecaseofOstreicher,whosedaughterlivesinSmith'sdistrictinNew
Jersey.AccordingtoSmiththeconversationwasvery"indepthandcandid."
"Afteralongmeeting,MinisterAyllonconcludedthat'YouragonyforJacobOstreicheris
likemyagonyforBolivianswhoareinthesamesituation.'Asajudgefor13yearsherself,
shepointedouttheabuseoffilingfalsechargesandotherirregularitiesliketheprocessof
recusingjudgesleadingtolengthydelaysisawidespreadproblem,"Smithsaid.
SmithsaidMinisterAyllonpromisedtopersonallylookintoJacobOstriecher'scase.
"MinisterRomerolistenedtomeattentivelyasIrecountedtheinjusticeofJacob'sstoryof
repeatedcourtdelaysinitiatedagainsthimbytheprosecutorsandlackofevidenceagainst
him,"Smithsaid."Healsosaidheandhischiefofstaff,whowasinthemeeting,will
vigorouslyfollowup.
"There'sapromiseonpaperfoundintheBolivianconstitution,Article116,andinthe
criminalprocedurecode,Article6,thatguaranteesa'presumptionofinnocenceuntil
provenguilty,'justlikeintheUnitedStates,"saidSmith."Shockingly,Jacobhashadnosuch
presumptionofinnocenceinthisentireordeal.
"Forwelloverayear,eventhoughhewasnotchargedwithanycrime,theoriginal
documentthatledtohisarrestandjailingspecificallystatedthathewasguiltyuntilproven
innocent,"Smithsaid."That'saviolationofBolivianlawandisunconscionable.Jacob
Ostreicher'scaseisanegregiousexampleofaviolationofboththeBolivianconstitution
andthecriminalcode.Frankly,bothJacobandthepeopleofBoliviadeservebetter."
Smith,whowasinthecourtroomwithJacobonMonday,saidtheMinistryofGovernment
prosecutorsdemandedthatthejudgerecusehimself,atacticusedtodelayanddenythe
administrationofjustice.
"Let'snotforgetthehearingMondaywasaboutbailforanAmericanwhowaschargedwith
nothingandwhocontinuestosufferinprison,"Smithsaid."ProsecutorFernandoRivera
said'Thishearingcannottakeplace'andtoldthejudge'Youcannotpresideoverthiscase,'
offeringnoproofastowhy.Ifthejudgeheardthecaseforbail,theprosecutortoldhim'we
willbeforcedtoinitiatelegalactionsagainstyou.'"
SmithsaidthatwhilethejudgeseeminglyrejectedthatthreatMonday,henonetheless
orderedthattherecusalissuebeconsideredbyanotherjudgeorpanelofjudges,andthus
neverdecidedonJacob'sbail,resultinginyetanotherdelay.
"Bolivianlawsuggeststhatsuchahearingonthejudgerecusalissueshouldoccurwithin24
to72hours,"Smithsaid."Tothebestofmyknowledge,weareunawareifitwillbeheard
withinthistimeframe."
SmithnotedthatonSept.23,2011ninemonthsagoanotherjudgehadorderedOstreicher
releasedonbail,onlytoreversehimselfwithindayswithoutexplanation.
IneverymeetingwithgovernmentofficialsinLaPaz,Smithsaidheconveyedastrong
senseofurgencythathewasdeeplyconcernedaboutJacob'sdeterioratinghealth,boththe
consequencesofhistwomonthhungerstrikeongoingsinceApril15andhislong,unjust
incarceration.Thecongressmansaidhewasconcernedoveranyopportunisticinfection
thatamanwithadegradedimmunesystemcouldcontract.Smithsaidhealsowasworried
aboutpossibleviolenceintheprison.
"IraisedconcernswithofficialsregardingJacob'sphysicalsafetyintheprison,"hesaid."He
isatgraverisk."
Notingthatheauthoredthehistoric,comprehensiveU.S.humantraffickinglawsThe
TraffickingVictimsProtectionActof2000Smithsaidhehas"zerotoleranceoftraffickingin
allofitsuglymanifestations,includinghumantraffickingandnarcotrafficking."Infact,
SmithhadmeetingsthisweekwithaspecialunitofBolivianprosecutorsandforensic
doctorswhoassistwomeninprosecutingsextraffickingcases.Healsovisitedsex
traffickingvictimssheltersforminors(currently,therearenosuchsheltersforadultsin
Bolivia).HeplannedadditionalmeetingsFriday,includingapressconferenceonthe
Ostreichercasesetfor10a.m.(EST)attheU.S.embassyinLaPaz.
"IwouldnotbehereifIweren'tabsolutelyconvincedofJacobOstreicher'sinnocence,"
Smithsaid.
OnJune6,thecongressionalsubcommitteeonhumanrightsSmithchairsheardfrom
Ostreicher'sdesperatewifeanddaughter,aswellasaformerFBIagentfamiliarwiththe
casewhoalsoassertsthereisnoevidenceagainstOstreicher.
http://www.freejacobblog.com
TrackbackUrl:
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/congressmansmithmeetswithkeybolivianofficials
onplighpr404038.html
###
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