{"id":375,"date":"2009-10-01T09:59:12","date_gmt":"2009-10-01T00:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sos-parents-japan.org\/?p=375"},"modified":"2009-10-01T10:31:58","modified_gmt":"2009-10-01T01:31:58","slug":"appel-dun-membre-du-congres-americain-chris-smith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.france-japon.net\/sosparentsjapan\/2009\/10\/01\/appel-dun-membre-du-congres-americain-chris-smith\/","title":{"rendered":"Appel d’un membre du Congr\u00e8s am\u00e9ricain, Chris Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chris Smith<\/span><\/strong>, un membre du Congr\u00e8s am\u00e9ricain, lance un<\/strong> appel pour la lib\u00e9ration de Christopher Savoie<\/strong>, arr\u00eat\u00e9 lundi 28 septembre par la police japonaise et incarc\u00e9r\u00e9 \u00e0 Fukuoka (Japon) apr\u00e8s avoir tent\u00e9 de placer ses deux enfants, Isaac et Rebecca, sous la protection du gouvernement am\u00e9ricain. C’est en les\u00a0 emmenant au consulat des USA de cette ville apr\u00e8s les avoir r\u00e9cup\u00e9r\u00e9s qu’il a \u00e9t\u00e9 interpell\u00e9. Ses enfants, dont il a re\u00e7u la garde du tribunal du Tennessee (USA), avaient \u00e9t\u00e9 enlev\u00e9s en ao\u00fbt dernier aux Etats-Unis et ramen\u00e9s secr\u00e8tement au Japon par leur m\u00e8re japonaise, Noriko, ex-\u00e9pouse de Christopher.<\/p>\n

Au Japon, l’enl\u00e8vement parental n’est pas un crime\u2026pour celui qui en prend le premier l’initiative !\u00a0 En effet, Noriko, japonaise, y est aujourd’hui consid\u00e9r\u00e9e comme victime, et son ex-mari est en prison pour enl\u00e8vement d’enfant mineur. C’est dans ce pays, en effet, le parent qui est le plus rapide \u00e0 enlever les enfants qui gagne, au m\u00e9pris des jugements rendus \u00e0 l’\u00e9tranger : la loi de la jungle !<\/p>\n

M. Chris Smith demande \u00e0 son gouvernement d’effectuer toutes les pressions possibles, voire de d\u00e9cider de sanctions \u00e0 l’encontre des pays qui, comme le Japon, prot\u00e8gent les parents kidnappeurs. Il lui demande aussi un soutien aux parents victimes d’enl\u00e8vement de la part de leur ex-conjoint.<\/p>\n

Chris Smith<\/strong><\/p>\n

New Jersey\u2019s Fourth Congressional District<\/p>\n

Contact: Jeff Sagnip (609) 585-7878<\/p>\n

http:\/\/chrissmith.house.gov<\/a><\/p>\n

Includes parts of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth & Ocean Counties<\/em><\/p>\n


\n<\/em><\/p>\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sept. 29, 2009<\/p>\n

Smith Legislation Sanctions Countries that Refuse to Help Left-Behind Parents<\/em><\/p>\n

Father Arrested in Japan Underscores Need for Reforms <\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013<\/strong> The case of an American father who has been arrested in Japan for attempting to regain access to his children, taken to Japan by his ex-wife in violation of a U.S. court order, is helping to raise awareness of the increasing problem of international parental child abduction and the heartbreak and frustration suffered by the parents left behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cInternational child abduction violates the rights of the left behind parent and the rights of the child to know both parents,\u201d <\/strong>said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), a senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a Congressional Representative to the United Nations.\u00a0 \u201cSadly, international child abductions are on the increase.\u00a0 In the last three years, reported international child abductions have increased 60 percent.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Christopher Savoie of Tennessee was arrested earlier this week in Japan after he attempted to reclaim his two children who were taken to Japan by his ex-wife a month ago in direct violation of a U.S. court order. Savoie was taken into custody and is facing criminal charges.<\/p>\n

Historically, parents left behind when their children are abducted to Japan have little hope and little recourse for justice because the Japanese government ignores U.S. family court rulings and will not honor the rights of American parents.\u00a0 Even in \u201cextreme cases\u201d such as when the abducting parent passes away, the Japanese government has not returned the child to the left behind parent. In fact, there is no known case of Japan ever returning an abducted\u00a0 Japanese-American child to the left behind parent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is an opportunity here to turn a new page,\u201d <\/strong>Smith said. \u201cThere is a glimmer of hope, and some encouraging signs that the new administration under the leadership of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will approach the issue of international parental child abduction in a way that recognizes the right of the adult parent.\u00a0 The case of Chris Savoie sheds light on the more than 100 open cases \u00a0of American parents who have been blocked from their rightful access to their children in Japan. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI urge the Prime Minister to see this incident as a catalyst,\u201d <\/strong>Smith said. He should form a task force and deal expeditiously, compassionately and judiciously to bring reconciliation and reunification to children abducted to Japan and their parents left behind.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Smith has been working to push the U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration to better address international child abductions in Japan and elsewhere around the world. In July, he introduced the \u201cInternational Child Abduction Prevention Act of 2009<\/a>\u201d, H.R. 3240, at a press conference alongside left behind parents<\/a> from across the country whose children have been abducted to Japan and Brazil (bill summary)<\/a><\/span>. One case has garnered significant attention: David Goldman the father of abducted American-born Sean Goldman, now 9, has been fighting to bring Sean home from Brazil for more than five years. There are currently over 2,800 American children being held in foreign countries against the wishes of a left behind parent.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy legislation, HR 3240 empowers the United States to more aggressively pursue the resolution of abduction cases,\u201d<\/strong> Smith said.\u00a0 \u201cOur current system is not providing justice for left behind parents or for children whisked away from their mom or dad. Congress must act so that more children are not further traumatized by parental abduction.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Key provisions of the Smith legislation include:<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n