Shimon Orenstein, an Israeli merchant arrested in Prague in December, 1951, and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment during the Slansky trials, has been released by the Czechoslovak authorities, the Israel Foreign Ministry announced here last night.
The Ministry revealed that the Czechs had informed the Israel Legation in Prague that Mr. Orenstein is free and that they want the Legation to arrange for his transportation to Israel. The Legation had requested several times that the Czechs release Mr. Orenstein and Mordecai Oren, Israeli Mapam leader arrested before December, 1951, and also tried during the Slansky affair.
The Foreign Ministry now expects a decision by the Czech authorities on Mr. Oren, who was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment following his “confession” at the trials of involvement with Slansky.
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