NCRRC Statement:        June 19, 2008

55 years have passed since our parents' execution, but each passing year
brings shocking new revelations that confirm the fraudulence of their
conviction.  Last November the New York Times published a story about George
Koval, a Soviet spy who helped steal atomic secrets during World War II.  In
that story a historian said: "It would have been highly embarrassing for the
U.S. government to have had this divulged."  The bureaucracy and cold war
politics dictated that they make scapegoats of our parents, instead.

It has been our belief since we launched the reopening effort in 1973 that
the public and family members deserve every bit of information relating to
our parents' case held by any agency of any government anywhere in the
world.  Whether this information raises disturbing questions or confirms our
darkest suspicious, it is best that it be brought out in open.

That is why earlier this year we joined with the National Security Archive
and other institutions and individuals from across the political spectrum in
asking the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York for
an order directing the release of the Grand Jury minutes in our parents
case.  While it is impossible to predict what the court will do, we believe
there is strong possibility that the court will grant our petition.  If that
is the case next year we'll have even more news to share with you.

And we are confident that you will be here next year because we know that
you are all tenacious, focused, and fully committed to justice.  We salute
your on-going efforts to keep our parents' case before the public.  We wish
we could join you today, but we are with you in spirit.

Michael and Robert Meeropol