Israel’s Charge d’Affaires in Prague, Shlomo-Kaddar, yesterday made a formal request of the Czechoslovak authorities for permission to visit Mordechai Oren, Israeli Mapam leader, and Israel Shimon Orenstein, former employee of the Israel legation in Prague, who have been sentenced to prison for “espionage” activities against Czechoslovakia, it was announced here today. Previous attempts to visit the men have been rebuffed.
Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett today reported to the Knesset Foreign Affairs Committee on the Czech note reporting the conviction and sentencing of the two Israelis, who disappeared from sight in Prague 22 months ago.
The Mapam newspaper Al Hamishmar today demanded the immediate release of Oren and Orenstein, pointing out for the benefit of the Czechs that such a move will not help foster better relations between Israel and the East European states. The Histadrut’s newspaper Davar also demands their release and calls their imprisonment an injustice, adding that it wants to believe that there was a mistake in the judgment.
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.
