The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith has appealed for the parole on bond of twin Iranian Jewish brothers who have been subjected to repeated anti-Semitic attacks in the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s Brooklyn detention center. They fled to this country last January, seeking political asylum, and are still awaiting an administrative decision. The brothers were taken into custody when they entered the U.S. on false passports, their only means of escape.
In its appeal, the ADL is joining with Rep. Gary Ackerman (D. N. Y.) and 31 other Congressmen in urging that the brothers be “immediately” released to family members living in Queens, “pending a final decision on their request for permanent political asylum.” The names of the two have been withheld to protect family members who are still residing in Iran.
Nathan Nagler, the ADL’s New York regional board chairman, and Carol Lister, director of ADL’s New York regional office, in a letter to INS Commissioner Alan Nelson, said the brothers, Orthodox Jews, have been victims of anti-Semitic harassment since their confinement last January 22.
On September 25, one brother was attacked by a non-Jewish Iranian detainee and was hospitalized for a broken nose. The brothers and their attacker are among 36 men in the same crowded cell. The ADL letter pointed out that the brothers “have no place to hide and no way to protect themselves from further anti-Semitic attacks.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
