New York, NY – Several hundred people demonstrated outside the Bolivian mission to the United Nations in midtown Manhattan this morning, demanding the release of Jacob Ostreicher, the Brooklyn businessman who has been held in a Bolivian prison for the past eleven months. Despite his lengthy incarceration, no charges have ever been filed against Ostreicher, as previously reported on VIN News.
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Assemblyman Dov Hikind who led the chanting at the rally called upon political leaders including Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, as well as Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama, to take an active role in securing Ostreicher’s freedom.
“This isn’t a Jewish issue,” Hikind told VIN News. “This is an American issue and we are calling on our leaders to get involved and do something. Is American citizenship so cheap and so meaningless that an American citizen can spend almost a year in prison without even being charged of a crime? This is total disgrace.”
Men, women and children from all across the religious spectrum and all over the New York area came to demonstrate their support for Ostreicher. Many in the crowd held signs in support of the cause, with signs held by some of the young Ostreicher grandchildren saying “Free My Grandpa Now.”
“We plan on keeping this issue in the limelight,” said Hikind. “Imagine this was your husband or father or son who went on a business trip and didn’t come home. Where is Hillary Clinton? Where is Barack Obama? Where is the American government doing whatever it can to protect its citizens? And what does it say to the world if Bolivia can get away with doing something like this?”
Ostreicher’s wife, Miriam Ungar, expressed her thanks to everyone who took the time to show their solidarity for her husband.
“We were pleased to see so many supporters coming out in the middle of the day for Jacob. It was heartwarming to hear the chants, prayers and the voice of Assemblyman Hikind. We now need to take it to the next level and take our protest to those who can truly make a difference in Jacob’s situation. If all of the people who came today would reach out to their Congressmen, Senators and the President of the United States, we believe that each will become truly proactive, and fight with us for Jacob’s freedom.
Singer Lipa Schmeltzer, who is related to Mrs. Ungar, urged his fans to attend today’s rally with a Facebook campaign.
“We made a tremendous Kiddush Hashem today by coming together as one and sticking up for our brother,” said Lipa. “Yanky is one of the nicest guys I ever met and he has been suffering for almost a year. No one should ever be in pain like this and my heart goes out to Yanky and his family.”
Photos video credit Shimon Gifter.
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Corrupt little tinpot banana republic. For shame, Bolivia
Hashem should help that he should be freed, thanks everyone for the help…
Wow!! What a kiddush hashem.
Very sad 🙁
Noise allways helps lets hope it will help fast
Maybe it’s time for ALL Americans start to think about boycotting Bolivian exports such as coffee!
This looks great, just the beginning..
Shame on the bolivian country It’s the third largest country in dealing and selling cocaine. Now your kidnapping U.S citizens. Mr. evo Marales we will “fight” you to bring back Yanky Ostreicher he is totaly innocent.
Does anyone know his mother’s name so that we can daven?
Everyone please go to new website up today: http://www.freejacobnow.com/home.html
to sign petition to President Obama to free Jacob!
where is all the jewish pressure like in rubashkin or other cases what a shame on all organisations where is the Aguda malcom homline all the other this needs ichud not citi feild
Thank you for all the pictures a real kidush hashem to see all the young women and children taking part in this rally. I truly hope that it has an impact.
Why did we only see Dov Hikind there? wjere were all our other elected leaders?
bringing a cause to the media really helps. i hope this is the beginning to his cheirus. we need to keep his name in the limelight and have more rallies untill he is finally home. may HaShem the ultimite redeemer- free him. baruch matir assurim.