PO Box 02-1140 Brooklyn, N.Y. 11202
3543 18th Street, #30
San Francisco, CA 94110
January 1997
Dear Friends,
It's time to change our strategy. In April, 1997, Silvia Baraldini will go before the parole board. A condition of her parole will be deportation to Italy. Our plan is to build support for Silvia's parole petition. Enclosed are documents by Silvia and Elizabeth Fink, her attorney, which explain the US parole process and the reasons Silvia is choosing parole at this time.
We need your help to make her parole campaign successful. In order to make our efforts a reality we need financial support to help defray legal costs, postage, and printing. Our goal is to raise $10,000. this is possible if 400 of you send $25. Please send whatever you can; no amount is too small. Make your checks payable to Committee to Return Silvia Baraldini to Italy (CRSBI).
We need letters stating your reason -- personal, professional or political -- for supporting Silvia's parole effort. If you know others interested in writing letters we welcome their participation and support. Our vision is to have a massive show of support from diverse communities in the US and Italy. The deadline for letters is March 1, 1997. All letters should be addressed to:
but mailed to her attorney:
Elizabeth Fink, Esq., 294 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Please refer to the sample letter.
Since August 1990, we have been actively publicizing Silvia's case and advocating for her return to Italy. Our strategy and hope has been to have Silvia returned to Italy pursuant to the Strasbourg Convention to complete her sentence in an Italian prison, close to her family and community. In 1989, 1991, 1994, and 1995 the Italian Government and Silvia petitioned the US Justice Department for such repatriation. Despite significant public pressure from supporters in Italy and the US, all four petitions have been denied, the last in March, 1996.
Over the years many of you have sent petitions, resolutions, letters, postcards and financial support. We thank you. The time is now; we cannot allow Silvia to be buried alive. As she enters her 15th year in prison, we need to commit ourselves to fight for her repatriation and make our voices heard. Your heartfelt support makes a difference and has been and is greatly appreciated.
In Solidarity,
Jane Segal and Toby Emmer
CRSBI Co-Chairs