Putin Letter - 06.14.2000

 

NCSJ: Advocates on behalf of Jews in Russia, 
Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia 

Conference of Presidents of Major American 
Jewish Organizations

World Jewish Congress

Anti-Defamation League 

American Jewish Committee 

B’nai B’rith International

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June 14, 2000

His Excellency Vladimir V. Putin
President of the Russian Federation

Dear Mr. President:

On behalf of the organized American Jewish community and our counterpart communities worldwide, we wish to express our deep concern about yesterday’s arrest of Russian Jewish community leader Vladimir Goussinsky in Moscow.

Mr. Goussinsky enjoys our support and respect in his leadership role as President of the Russian Jewish Congress. The Jewish community has noted with distress the recent attacks by government-owned and other media against Mr. Goussinsky and the Russian Jewish Congress.

At this important period in Russian history, basic freedoms appear to be challenged in a systematic way, and your Government’s response will greatly influence the outcome for civil society and rule of law in the Russian Federation. We urge that due process and international legal standards be followed with respect to Mr. Goussinsky and that the full rights of the Russian Jewish community are assured. The communities we represent attach the highest priority to Mr. Goussinsky’s welfare, and we urge his immediate release from detention.

We look forward to your Government’s swift resolution of this situation, and would appreciate your response to the concerns we have raised.

Respectfully,

Denis C. Braham      Howard E. Sachs         Mark B. Levin    
    Chairman                   President             Executive Director
      NCSJ                            NCSJ                              NCSJ

     Ronald S. Lauder                                   Malcolm Hoenlein
         Chairman                                         Executive Vice-Chair
Conference of Presidents                   Conference of Presidents

  Edgar M. Bronfman                                      Israel Singer
        President                                            Secretary General
World Jewish Congress                        World Jewish Congress

 Howard P. Berkowitz                             Abraham H. Foxman
   National Chairman                                   National Director
Anti-Defamation League                     Anti-Defamation League

       Bruce M. Ramer                                      David A. Harris
           President                                           Executive Director
American Jewish Committee            American Jewish Committee

  Richard D. Heideman                              Daniel S. Mariaschin
          President                                      Executive Vice President
B’nai B’rith International                     B’nai B’rith International