Russian Red Crescent Reports Ruth Aleksandrovich in ‘satisfactory Health’

The Russian Red Crescent, the Soviet Union’s equivalent of the American Red Cross, claims that Jewish prisoner Ruth Aleksandrovich has received the “necessary medical treatment” and is now in “satisfactory health.” The information was relayed by the Red Crescent via cable to George M. Elsey, president of the Red Cross. Elsey reported the news to Rabbi Mare H. Tanenbaum, director of Interreligious Affairs of the American Jewish Committee, who advised the Jewish Telegraphic Agency of it. On June 16, at a press conference here attended by the prisoner’s mother, Mrs. Rivka Aleksandrovich, a team of kidney specialists concluded that Ruth Aleksandrovich was probably in “serious” condition and possibly in danger of death. The doctors based their conclusions on a half-year-old checkup by the prisoner’s physician, who is now in Israel, and on reports that Miss Aleksandrovich was not being properly cared for in prison. Miss Aleksandrovich, a 24-year-old hospital nurse, was convicted in Riga last year for alleged anti-Soviet activities in seeking equity for Soviet Jews. She is now in Potma prison in central Mordovia. Her one-year sentence ends Oct. 7.

Rabbi Tanenbaum advised Elsey that the Red Crescent report on the prisoner’s health “appears to be reassuring.” He said he would forward the information to Mrs. Aleksandrovich and her family in Israel, and thanked Elsey for his “interest and extremely helpful cooperation” on the Aleksandrovich case. A Jewish source here said separately that the prisoner’s health had “improved somewhat.” He attributed the greater attention to her well-being by the prison authorities to “pressure” from outside the USSR. Rabbi Tanenbaum also reported that the Soviet authorities have allowed Miss Aleksandrovich to receive a package of food and medicine which was sent to her through the American Red Cross. He called this permission “unusual.” Rabbi Tanenbaum had asked the American Red Cross to intercede with the Soviet Red Crescent for permission to send the package after Mrs. Aleksandrovich asked the AJCommittee to help her daughter.