Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) led a gathering of elected officials this afternoon at the Bolivian Mission to the United Nations, in demanding justice for Jacob Ostreicher, a Brooklyn resident held for more than a year in a Bolivian prison. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, former NY Governor David Paterson and others joined the Assemblyman along with Ostreicher’s wife, children and grandchildren in front of the Bolivian Mission to the U.N. to protest human rights violations of the U.S. citizen who has been held through more than a dozen postponed hearings for 13 months.
“The Ostreicher family continues to suffer while Jacob Ostreicher languishes in a prison,” said Assemblyman Hikind. “Miriam Ostreicher wants her husband back. Jacob’s children want their father back. We cannot allow this travesty of justice to continue. Bolivia claims to be a democracy governed by laws. Here’s their chance to prove it. They must free Jacob Ostreicher now.”
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Ostreicher, 53, was born and raised in Brooklyn. In December, 2010, he invested in land in Bolivia and managed a rice business there until he was arrested on June 3, 2011 by Bolivian officials. Separated from his family, Ostreicher began a hunger strike in April to bring attention to the violation of his human rights. His hearings have been delayed more than a dozen times.
Also in attendance today were NYS Minority Leader John Sampson, NYS Senator Eric Adams, NYS Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs, NYS Assemblyman Alan Maisel, NYS Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, NY Councilman Dr. Mathieu Eugene, Councilwoman Leticia James, NY City Councilman Brad Lander, NY Councilman David Greenfield, Chairman of Brooklyn Community Board 12 Yidel Perlstein, and District Manager of Brooklyn Community Board 12 Wolf Sender.
Wife of Jacob Ostreicher, former NY Governor David Paterson speaking.
NYC Council-members David Greenfield, Brad lander, Helene Weinstein, other NYC politicians speaking
I’ll tell you whats behind this. Bolivia was a country that was hospitable as a refuge to fleeing Nazis after WWII. You don’t go from hosting Nazis to loving Jews period. Ostreicher was kidnapped and held for ransom plain and simple in the same exact spirit as the way the Nazis so casually stripped Jews of their rights. You see, the spirit of those dead Nazis have infiltrated the consciousnesses of Bolivians. A little Hitchkokian, don’t you think. Problem is, I am probably right.
where was senator Kirsten Gillibrand ? oh she is not before elections now?
Hmmm, isn’t this an election year, with pols prepared to stoop to anything to garner votes?
How many of these politicians really care that a Jew sits in an Bolivian jail they just need the jewish vote which is getting larger and more powerful and are swing voters
At least some elected officials care, and they are really trying to get the word out. WHERE ON EARTH IS CLINTON? What kind of evil regime is this bolivia
Lets all Hope & Pray for Jacobs quick release!!
If Bolivia cared a whit about our opinion of them, he’d have been freed by now. It’s in G-d’s hands and we must continue to fervently pray for the poor man’s safety and release. Bolivia will not escape unscathed – der aibishter blabt nisht shildig – it will get its just due and may it be soon.
Why was this not publicized? If a larger crowd would show up, it might have made more of an impact. Its one thing to see how many politicians you can get to show up, but a large crowd shows that this is an important issue with high visibility. More visibility might even mean more politicians getting involved.