AWARDING OF HUBERT HUMPHREY PRIZE TO JACOBO TIMERMAN BY ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE[SANITIZED] - 1979/06/18

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06626649
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: June 18, 1979

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SECURITY
CLASSIFICATION
UNCLASSIFIEI9
International Communication Agency
Press and Publications Service
TRANSMITTAL SLIP
Date: jun 3.83 i79
TO
USICA Buenos Aires
REFERENCE
None
Attaohedvizary on awarding of Huberb HUmphrey
Prize to Jaodbo Mimerman by Anti Defamation
League is for your infommation and
possible use at your discretion.
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/?rank Stanton, chairman of 4t4tarphrey Prize Advinory Committee
on Nominations, pointed out that more than 600 journalists and writers
today are victims of repressive government action in some 55 countries.
Nearly 500 are imprisoned or, as in the case of the Soviet Union, in
psychiatric institutions.
"Argentina, however, is the most flagrant violator," Stamon
e/
said, "with 119 cases, that we know about, either imprisoned, under house
arrest, or in forced exile.
"Their names comprise a literal 'Who's Who' of Argentina's finest
journalists, the most prominent being Mr. Timerman."
Founder of two weekly magazines and the independent newspaper
La Opinion, Timerman was dragged from his home by a group of armed men
on the morning of April 1., 1977. He spent the next year in prison
though no charge has been -- or ever has been -- brought against him.
Intermittently, he was tortured by his captors in an effort to establish
a link with guerrillas.
"So far as anyone can determine," said Stanton, "his only crime
is that he is an honest newspaperman who shocked and offended many people
in important circles in Buenos Aires."
(more)
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epcigiAJ went on to say thathe coWld find no parallel in history. He
t
pointed ouFtA eter Unger "gag netimitteWto 'plead his case and defend
his right to press freedom," and even "Dreyfus was brought to trial, and
though falsely convicted, was able to defend himaelfAft:"J
re-
�2."..41.the Supreme Court of
as decreed
that there is no basis in law, no charges have been presented, and there
are no grounds for detaining him. The anti-Semitism has not come out
into the open, but it lurks in the shadow behind the official silence."
Hector Timerman said that although Argentinian authorities "have been
ii-..-
unable to explain the reasons" for his father's arrest and their refusal
to obey the order for his release issued by the Supreme Court of Justice,
them is "a conspicuous reason."
6_11:s reason emerged, according to Mr. Timerman, "during frightful
questioning" when his father was asked "about his links with the Elders
of Zion and his activity fn behalf of projects for world dominance by
Jews."
He went on to say that "only in a country wherein anti-Semitism is
(----
well rooted can official enquirers pose such unheard of questions."
/pointed out that Jacob� Timerman's activity as a representative
of the Argentine Jewish community and as founder and editor was "open and
well known" but that he could not go "unpunished" 'because at all times
he "defended the interests of the Jewish community and waged war against
manifestations of anti-Semitism.
/1 "Such an attitude," Hector Timerman said, "requires unique daring
in the climate of prejudice and anti-Jewish hostility endured in Argentina."
111.11- went on to say that "Jacobo Timerman is paying the high, the
painful, price for such an attitude, both as a man and as a Jew."
/ In his father's name, he thanked the League for bestowing the
Humphrey award upon Jacob� Timerman "as a symbol of persecuted and dis-
criminated men and as a protest against the conspicuous violation of human
rights in Argentina."
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,1eu AUbert -ittlf11.7ey once n-f;ain defends a man persecuted fey
his struggle for freedom." 3c!stated Jacob� Timermen, the distdnguished
Argentine
journalist upon being informed that he had been awarded the
J
1979 HUbert H. !Iilliumphrey Freedom Prize of the Anti-Defamation Leagli/yet
.71, I 1,Tai 17:1 t th
/Jacob� Tir::arawn has been called the "DreyfUs of Latin America"
because of him imprisonmeni for undisclosed crimes by Argentine authorities.
in N=017 York
Bin son, 'lector Timermas, new a resident of Israel, accepted the prize June 17 /
1
Hector Timerman )
on behalf of his Mi0father7Who remains under house arrest in Argen
co_veyed his tether's reaction upon being told he had been given the honor.
1.4003����*.
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New York -- "HubWx FX1y once again defends a man persecuted fo
his struggle for freedai." atated Jacob� imerman, the distinguished
�c�1
Argentine 31111011. journa upon being informed that he had been awarded the
\ TT--
1979 Hubert H. Humphrey Freedom Prize of the Anti-Defamation of
ADL)
BINai Btrith.
r
/Jacobo imerman has been-called the "Dreyfus of Latin America"
because of his imprisonment for undisclosed crimes by Argentine authorities.
In New York
His-eam, Hector Timerman, now a resident of Israel, accepted the prize June 17 /
Hector Timerman
' an behalf of his 11,1fathezrwho remains under house arrest in Argentina.
cobveyed his fathers reaction on being told he had been given the honor.
L--
The presentation was lade-by'BeniAmin R. Epstein, executive vice
president of-the Abl. Foundation, at the 66th annual national commission
meeting of the Leaguer4,5,01611111!1thamat-i
�
Epstein said that "although his person is incarcerated in
Argenting., his name and fame have-croiied international borders."
�
Continuing, he said k Tifik hif.w< PIM Al
La one
of 119 ArgentiAirjournaliats -- the best and brightest of the country's
newspapermen ---Fho have been either imprisoned, placed under house
arrest, or forced into exile."
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Nonetheless, Timerman was not released. After the year in prison,
he was transferred to house arrest and stripped of his civil rights.
The junta refuses to release him or to permit him to leave the country.
Within recent weeks, the junta announced confiscation of his newspaper
and other properties.
"In expressing our profound concern for the safety and survival of
this distinguished journalist," Stanton declared, "we share the
anxiety of such organizations as the Inter-American Press Association,
Amnesty International, the American Newspaper Publishers Association
and International PEN. Mr. Timerman is a worldwide symbol of the oppres-
sion of the free press in Argentina, and we believe that by awarding him
the Hubert H. Humphrey Freedom Prise, the Anti-Defamation League's highest
award with respect to press safeguards, we may signal the plight of
hundreds of other journalists and writers who share Mr. Timerman's fate."
in addition to Stanton, other members of the Advisory Committee
are Elie Abel, Stanford University School of Journalism; Paul A.
Freund, professor emeritus, Harvard Law School; John W. Cardner, former
U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare; John R. Everett, presi-
dent of The New School for Social Research, and Franklin D. Murphy,
chairman of the Times-Mirror Corporation.
On May 25, 1979. Stanton sent a letter to the President of Argentina,
Jorge Rafael Videla, requesting permission for Timerman to come to New
York to receive the award. No reply has been received. CA copy of the
letter is attached)
Maxwell E. Greenberg, national chairman of ADL. NUR invited Timerman's
son, Hector, 25, who lives in Israel with his two brother to fly to
TIE n ice 41
New York to accept the award for his father
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