Fischer receives an Icelandic passport
23.02.2005 Immigration authorities in Iceland have decided to issue full travel documents for former world champion Bobby Fischer, who is being held in Japanese detention for not possessing a valid passport. Fischer's new passport will be sent to Japan by diplomatic mail, and a delegation is traveling there to escort him to Iceland.
Reykjavík, 23 February 2005
From the RJF Committee:
Icelandic Passport for Bobby Fischer
At a meeting yesterday with the Directorate of Immigration (UTL) Ms. Hildur
Dungal, CEO, told our committee members, that the Icelandic Authorities had
just decided after an advice from the Althingi to grant Bobby Fischer a special
foreigners’ passport which would allow him to travel to western
Europe, e.g. the Schengen countries. This decision comes after some four weeks
of lengthy considerations over his request for Icelandic citizenship at the
Parliament.
Sæmi Pálsson, Hildur Dungal, Einar S. Einarsson at the meeting
yesterday. Ms. H. Dungal, is the newly appointed CEO of UTL. She is a lawyer
and a former Miss Iceland.
The General Committee of Althingi concluded that it would be right to put
Bobby’s request for a citizenship on hold for the time being while other
possible means to get him released from his detainment in Japan over an invalid
US passport, which was revoked behind his back, would be tried out fully. Iceland’s
foreign minister, Mr. Oddsson, had already in December granted Bobby a residence
permit. But travel documents is what counts, not political declarations. Hopefully
this important move will break the deadlock of this absurd affair and generate
Bobby’s release after seven months of hardship for the former world champion
in confinement at Narita airport immigration camp.
In spite of the official formality of this case, it seems in fact to have been a
battle between Bobby Fischer and the United States, driven by some politically
incorrect views of Bobby on the events of 9/11 2001 and on the influence of Jews
in America today, affecting negatively the Palestinian people among other negative
influences. After Iceland offered Bobby Fischer a residency, the US protested
immediately at a special meeting with the Icelandic Minister of Foreign affairs.
After that meeting the Icelandic officials were stopped from continuing the
inevitable paperwork and passport issuance that should have followed the kind
offer right away.
The picture used in Fischer's Icelandic passport |
When a stalemate had lasted for more than a month, Bobby Fischer requested
a formal citizenship that took the whole case to a new and a higher level.
Now the Icelandic Parliament was suddenly put in the position of answering
the question whether it wanted to involve the country formally into the matter
or deny Mr. Fischer citizenship. After weeks of discussion in the Parliamentarian
Committee that deals with citizenships, it gradually seemed more and more likely
that when taking the matter to a formal vote in the floor, a majority of the
parliamentarians would vote in Bobby’s favour. Instead of taking the
case that far, the Icelandic Government finally decided it would be better
for it's relation with Japan and USA to give Bobby an Icelandic ID number and
a valid passport to travel to Iceland, where he had already been offered a
residency.
If this measure to help Bobby Fischer out does not work the Althingi will
proceed with citizenship. Citizenship by parliamentary degree is granted twice
a year, next time in April. Bobby's Icelandic passport has now already been
processed and will be sent by a diplomatic mail to the Icelandic Embassy in
Tokyo and handed over by the Ambassador in due course.
Saemi Palsson, Bobby´s old friend and bodyguard, with another member
from our group as a second will be traveling to Japan in a couple of days
with the intention to escort Bobby Fischer to Iceland, hopefully next week.
After a very long and tiresome middle game, we now anticipate the endgame
is won.
Einar S. Einarsson
Previous ChessBase articles
Fischer's
lawyer Masako Suzuki speaks out
02.02.2005
Is Japan buckling under pressure by the US? Bobby Fischer, 61, former
World Champion of Chess who has been jailed in Japan for six months now,
is applying for Icelandic citizenship. But Tokyo seems to be balking
at a constructive solution entailing his release to Iceland. Fischer's
lawyer Masako Suzuki has given us an exclusive
interview. |
Bobby Fischer applies for Icelandic Citizenship
25.01.2005 After
the Japanese authorities last week refused Fischer's request to be
extradited to Iceland the chess legend, who is being held in a Japanese
detention facility, has today written to the President of the Icelandic
Althingi (picture), applying for Icelandic citizenship. A special law
would have to be passed to grant Fischer's request.
|
Bobby Fischer – immigration plans on ice
22.01.2005 His
supporters filed a petition that Fischer might be released from
detention in a Tokyo jail and allowed to travel to Iceland, where he
has been granted refuge. But Japanese Justice Ministry lawyers said
they were not prepared to change Fischer's deportation destination to
Iceland, and that he would have to remain in detention. A harsh blow for the chess legend.
|
Bobby Fischer – six months in jail
1/17/2005 On
July 13, 2004 he was arrested at Narita Airport in Tokyo, for
attempting to leave the country on an invalidated. Since then the
greatest hero of Western chess has been languishing in a Japanese
detention facility, now physically exhausted and suffering from dizzy
spells. His Icelandic friends, who are offering him refuge, have
launched another appeal to the authorities.
|
US
threatens Iceland, Fischer Committee appeals
22.12.2004
Iceland
is under US pressure to drop plans to offer a home to fugitive former
chess champion Bobby Fischer, the Reuters news agency tells us. But the
Icelandic government has stated that its offer "will not be withdrawn
despite pressure from the United States." How do we know that? Among
other things we read it in Aljazeera, would you believe? Here's the latest
on this international
confrontation.
|
RJF
Committee mobilizes pro-Fischer forces
18.12.2004
While Bobby Fischer remains incarcerated in a Japanese prison a special
committee in Iceland is moving to get him free and find him a home on
the North-Atlantic island country. Iceland's foreign minister and a prominent
political scientist have spoken out. Here's a report on Fischer's Iceland
Connection...
|
Fischer
to get refuge in Iceland?
12/16/2004
The news today on Bobby Fischer, who is currently being held in a Japanese
detention facilities pending extradition to the US, is that the Icelandic
government has offered to grant him a residence permit. In a telephone
interview Fischer speaks about his plight in Japan and reacts to statements
by Garry Kasparov on Fischer Random Chess. Full
details... |
Returning
to the 'scene of the crime'
30.11.2004
Twelve years ago Boris Spassky played a match against Bobby Fischer in
Yugoslavia. That got Fischer into a lot of trouble, while for Spassky,
a French citizen, there were no repercussions. Now the tenth world champion
returned to Belgrade to open the Belgrade Chess Trophy. Quick
interview... |
Fischer
to Bush and Koizumi: 'You are going to pay for this!'
18.10.2004
Bobby Fischer, still in detention in Japan, has spoken out again in an
interview, this time threatening the Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi
and US President Bush: "You are going to pay for this, and you are going
to pay for your crimes in Iraq too." His new lawyer, Richard J. Vattuone,
plans to release documents to prove US government involvement in a
plot against Fischer. |
'We
want to live together forever'
01.09.2004
She collected pictures of her chess hero after his match with Boris Spassky
in 1972. One year later they met in Tokyo – the start of a romance spanning
decades. Since four years the two have lived together in downtown Kamata
in Tokyo's Ota Ward. In an exclusive interview for ChessBase Miyoko Watai
tells us the story of her life
with Bobby Fischer. |
Listen
to Bobby Fischer
26.08.2004
In emotional phone calls from his detention cell in Tokyo ex world champion
Bobby Fischer gave a Philippine radio station two lengthy interviews. Fischer
is facing deportation and incarceration in the US, and voices his nightmare
fears: "I will be tried, convicted, sentenced, imprisoned, tortured and
murdered." We have summary transcripts
and audio files. |
Dramatic
moments around Fischer's deportation
25.08.2004
First the Japanese Justice Minister Daizo Nozawa issued a deportation order
against former world champion Bobby Fischer's, then Fischer's lawyers filed
a lightning appeal on the grounds that physical deportation would be a
flagrant violation of Fischer's right to full legal recourse and protection
under Japanese law. Here's the full
story by Fischer's legal coordinator. |
'Bobby
Fischer and I have decided to marry'
17.08.2004
Bobby Fischer, the former world chess champion, plans to marry the president
of the Japan Chess Association (and four-time Japanese women's champion)
Miyoko Watai. This was reported in newspapers and wire services last night.
Now Watai-san has sent us a statement explaining the background of her
personal relationship with Fischer. |
Fischer
renounces US citizenship
15.08.2004
Bobby Fischer has been moved to a new detention facility in Tokyo, pending
a decision on his deportation to the US, where he faces a 10-year jail
sentence. A lot of new material has surfaced, including Fischer's handwritten
renouncement of his US citizenship and a blow-by-blow description and picture
of his arrest at Narita Airport. Harrowing
stuff... |
Spassky
to Bush: Arrest me!
10.08.2004
Boris Spassky, who played the contentious return match against Bobby Fischer
in Yugoslavia 1992, for which the latter is currently facing deportation
and incarceration in the US, has appealed to President Bush to show mercy
and charity for his tormented successor. If for some reason that should
be impossible, Spassky suggests a very
imaginative alternative... |
Fischer's
appeal rejected
28.07.2004
Bobby Fischer's appeal against his deportation was rejected today by Japanese
authorities. Meanwhile the Icelandic Chess Federation has appealed to US
president Bush to pardon Fischer and set up a petition web site to collect
signatures. In Tokyo a "Free Fischer Press Conference" is scheduled for
Thursday. More... |
Fischer
a sacrificial pawn?
25.07.2004
Bobby Fischer is still in detention at Narita Airport in Tokyo, traumatised
but stubborn, "behaving like a Samurai". At the same time news outlets
all over the world are covering the story, with Fischer's brother-in-law
Russell Targ assailing the Bush administration for playing election year
politics with the former chess champion's freedom. There's
a lot to be read... |
Game
of Life: Kasparov on Fischer - in full
20.07.2004
The news of Fischer's arrest in Japan came as a shock to Garry Kasparov,
who was in a holiday camp working intensely on the games of his greatest
American predecessor. In today's issue of The Wall Street Journal Kasparov
assesses Fischer's chess career – for a public that was being exposed to
his current situation. We now bring you Kasparov's
full article. |
Will
Fischer be extradited?
19.07.2004
Chess legend Bobby Fischer, the hero of millions, languishes in the detention
facilities of Narita Airport in Tokyo, waiting for a decision by Japanese
Immigration authorities on his deportation to the US. We have collected
all the documents and reconstructed a timeline to his arrest. Fischer,
who has no legal counsel, is appealing
for international assistance. |
Bobby
Fischer detained in Japan (updated)
16.07.2004
It's the latest twist in the sad tale of American former world champion
Bobby Fischer. He has been detained in Japan and faces possible deportation
to the US to face charges for playing in Yugoslavia in 1992. Fischer's
website says he was "very nearly killed" in Japan. The story has been picked
up by news services all over the
world. |
|