Breaking story: Request for protection by the German Ambassador
to Israel of a human rights/computer science writer in Jerusalem
Dear Sir/Madam:
I
write to inform you of the breaking story: Request for protection
by the German Ambassador to Israel of a human rights/computer science writer in
Jerusalem, in hope that you would find interest in covering the story.
This week and next, I plan on meeting consular
staff in the Tel Aviv Embassy, relative to the matter outlined below.
Any further requests for information would be
gladly answered, and I will also be available to meet reporters.
Truly,
Joseph Zernik, PhD
Human Rights Alert (NGO)
_________
Breaking story
Request for protection by the German Ambassador to Israel of a human
rights/computer science writer in Jerusalem
Joseph Zernik, PhD, a German citizen in
Jerusalem, Corpus Separatum by international law, is subjected to retaliation
by the US and Israeli governments for filing Human Rights reports and for
publishing in international scholarly computer science journals reports
regarding lack of integrity in the computer systems of courts, prisons, banks
in both Israel and the United States. At
present, his bank accounts in Jerusalem are frozen by the Israeli Bank HaPoalim
on behalf of the US government through fabricated banking regulations (FATCA), a
conduct that is patronized by the Israeli authorities. Concern is also raised
regarding his personal safety, following inexplicable conduct of the US
Consulate, Jerusalem, in his case, as well as conduct of the US government,
pertaining to Julian Assange, Aaron Schwartz, and a German citizen, who was
subjected to "special rendition" by the United States. Writers, who are critical of the current US
government, are considered prime candidates for enforcement of new US laws,
which permit indefinite detentions with no prosecution and with no trial (NDAA).
A.
Professional Background
Over the past decade, Joseph Zernik, PhD, of
Human Rights Alert (NGO), became an internationally recognized expert on
large-scale fraud in the computer systems that run banking, courts, and
prisons.
His papers on the subjects were subjected to anonymous peer-review in international
scholarly conferences in Data Mining (2010, Czech Republic); 16th World
Criminology Congress (2011, Japan); Data Analytics (Spain 2012), and Cyberlaws
(France, 2013). [
[i]]
Millions read his reports in online archives, blogs, and various news sites. [
[ii],
[iii]]
Two of Dr Zernik's reports on these subjects were also incorporated by
the United Nations into official Human Rights Council Reports:
1. United States - the 2010 submission of Human Rights Alert to
the Human Rights Council (HRC) of the United Nations was reviewed and
incorporated in the official HRC Professional Staff Report with a note
referring to "corruption of the courts and the legal profession and
discrimination by law enforcement in California." [
[iv]]
2. State of Israel - the 2013 submission of Human Rights
Alert to the HRC, was incorporated into the HRC Staff Report with a note,
referring to "the lack of integrity of the electronic record systems of
the Supreme Court, District Courts and Detainees Courts in Israel." [
[v]]
B.
Brief History of Retaliation
In parallel, retaliation against Dr Zernik has
been increasing for some years:
1.
In December 2007, his home in Los Angeles, California, was taken with no
due process of law.
2.
In mid-April 2010, he was called for an "interview" by the
United States courts "Threat Unit"/US Marshals. Later than month, his
neighbors told him that armed agents appeared to apprehend him, and looked
eager to shoot. Dr Zernik immediately
fled the United States.
3.
In 2009-10, Prior to his escape from the United States, 2009, Dr Zernik
approached the German Consulate in Los Angeles. At that time he sought political
asylum in Germany, alternatively, the option of going to Germany and filing the
application for repatriation of German citizenship. The answer was
negative on both requests.
4.
In April 2010, Dr Zernik fled to Jerusalem. Immediately upon
arrival in Israel he filed for German citizenship, which he was awarded in
2010. In his final interview with the German Consul in Tel Aviv, Dr
Zernik was asked why he sought the German citizenship (later than all his
family). Dr Zernik answered that he sought protection by the German
government.
5.
In July 2012, Dr Zernik's Israeli Bank in Jerusalem (Bank HaPoalim)
started threatening to freeze his bank accounts on behalf of the US government,
if Dr Zernik did not sign "waiver of privacy" to the US government on
all his banking in Israel. Such conduct was purported as part of
enforcement of a new US law, called FATCA. However, the law was never
promulgated yet (no regulations were issued) even in the United States, and
surely it is of no in force in Israel, more so in Jerusalem, which by
international law is Corpus Separatum.
6.
In August 2012, Dr Zernik attempted to file a complaint with Bank of
Israel- Banking Regulation against the unlawful conduct of Bank HaPoalim
against him. To this date, Bank of
Israel refuses to answer on the complaint.
7.
In October 2012, Dr Zernik attempted to file a petition with the Supreme
Court of Israel, to compel Bank of Israel to perform its duties and review the
complaint against Bank HaPoalim. The
office of the clerk of the Israeli Supreme Court refused to duly register the
petition. [
[vi]]
8.
On January 1, 2013, Dr Zernik's bank accounts were frozen by the Israeli
Bank HaPoalim, with neither any written notice, nor any foundation in any law.
[
[vii]]
9.
On January 7 and January 14, 2013, Dr Zernik attempted to renounce his
US citizenship, in effort to end the impasse with the Israeli Bank HaPoalim. Dr Zernik was subjected to fraud in the US
consulate in Jerusalem. His US Passport
was taken, but only false records of renunciation of US citizen
ship were
provided. [[viii]] Requests to correct
the false records were not addressed.
Overall, the recent conduct of the Israeli and US authorities has no basis in
any law, neither of the State of Israel, nor of the United States. Opinion of a Washington, DC –based, US
attorney, specializing in FATCA, is also available. The attorney concludes that the case is of
retaliation, unrelated to FATCA. [
[ix]]
C.
Concerns of Abuse and Personal Security Threats
Dr Zernik's concern is that his treatment resembles that, which was
applied to Julian Assange, Wikileaks' founder: in December 2010, the bank
accounts of Wikileaks were frozen with no legal foundation; later, the US
made it clear that it intended to capture Assange, or even kill him, with no
basis in any law at all. Eventually, Assange is today holed up in the
London Embassy of Ecuador. [
[x]]
The more recent tragic death of Aaron Schwartz, an internet pioneer, is
also of great concern. [
[xi]]
It should be emphasized that Dr Zernik's research and scholarly papers
are not based on any leaked or secret documents, only on public records – court
records from various courts in the United States and Israel.
Concern is also raised relative to the recent reports of harassment and
retaliation against Human Rights activists in Jerusalem. [
[xii]]
Furthermore, according to US law today, if Dr Zernik is captured by the United
States, he may be subjected to "Special Rendition" - transport to one
of any numerous "black hole" prisons, maintained by the US government
around the globe in collaboration with
various other governments. A German citizen was previously reportedly subjected
to such unlawful treatment by the US government.
Another concern pertains to the application of indefinite detention with
no trial and no due process (under the new US law - NDAA). Writers are
considered at high risk in the enforcement of such laws, as documented in a
recent court filing under Hedges, Ellsberg et al v Obama et al (1:12-cv-00331).
[
[xiii]]
D.
Request for Protection of a German Citizen in Jerusalem
Therefore, Dr Zernik intends to ask for protection by the German
Ambassador to Israel of a German citizen in Jerusalem.
Assistance would be requested in protection of basic rights as to:
1. Release of the German
citizen's funds, frozen by the Israeli Bank HaPoalim in Jerusalem, purportedly
on behalf of the US government, a conduct which is patronized by the Israeli
authorities, under fabricated US law (FATCA).
2. Advice regarding safety of
travel to various destinations for scholarly conferences (e.g. while traveling
under German flag), and protection against potential unlawful seizure by the US
government and/or indefinite detention with neither prosecution nor trial under
new US laws (NDAA).
LINKS:
[iii] 12-12-29
Human Rights Alert in the United States- most read on LiveLeak.com, Scrid.com
in 2012
[2] 12-12-29 Human Rights Alert (NGO) in Israel - most read on
LiveLeak.com, Scrid.com in 2012
[iv] 10-10-01 United Nations Human Rights Council Records for 2010 Review
(UPR) of Human Rights in the United States, where Human Rights Alert (NGO)
submission was incorporated with a note referring to "corruption of the
courts and the legal profession and discrimination by law enforcement in
California."
http://www.scribd.com/doc/38566837/
[ix] Washington DC attorney opinion:
Available upon request.