Letter from Senator Torricelli

April 25, 1997

Robert G. Torricelli
New Jersey

Mr. Robert B. Rogoff
Passaic, New Jersey

Dear Mr. Rogoff,

Thank you for contacting me about the case of Jonathan Pollard. I share your concern and I welcome the opportunity to share with you my views on this matter.

Like yourself, I am disturbed by the conditions under which Mr. Pollard is being incarcerated. As you are aware, Mr.Pollard was convicted of passing classified information to an ally in 1987. Yet he was sentenced to life in prison with a recommendation of no parole. Last year, I joined several of my congressional colleagues in writing to President Clinton urging him to commute Mr.Pollard's sentence. The letter reiterates the fact that his punishment is excessively harsh and inconsistent with sentences imposed on Americans convicted of similar offences.

The Israeli Knesset passed a resolution in 1995 that condemned Mr.Pollard's imprisonment on a humanitarian basis. In addition, the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin,conveyed to President Clinton his desire to see Mr.Pollard's sentence commuted. There has clearly been a growing network of support for Jonathan Pollard, which I hope will continue to flourish.

I do not condone espionage. However it is imperative that our judicial system work fairly and consistently. As such, you can be assured that I will continue to follow Mr. Pollard's case as well as monitor his incarceration to ensure that his civil rights are not violated.

Thank you again for alerting me to your views. I hope you will remain committed to Mr. Pollard's case. Please feel free to contact me again on this and on other issues of concern to you.

Sincerely,

ROBERT G. TORRICELLI
United States Senator

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