[UPDATE: Bobby Fischer has been released according to AP
and Reuters. Fischer has already given a radio interview in which he said
American military and embassy employees should be banned from Iceland. A full report will follow later today.]
Last night the news from the Icelandic RJF Committee was tense. "There are
critical hours/days ahead. As this very moment the Icelandic Ambassador in Tokyo
is giving diplomatic notification of Fischer's new Icelandic citizenship to
the Japanese authorities. We expect Bobby to be released any moment now, but
that remains still to be seen and realized."
Then this morning an ecstatic message from Reykjavík: "Fantastic
news, awesome! Bobby will be released at midnight GMT – in just 11
hours. The passed Fischer pawn has been shepherded home to the eighth
rank, where it can be promoted into a piece, with complete freedom of movement."
On Wednesday John Bosnitch, Chairman The Committee to Free Bobby Fischer,
supplied us further details: "On Thursday, March 24, 2005, Bobby Fischer
will be released from the East Japan Immigration Detention Center in Ushiku,
north of Tokyo, and he will drive to Narita Airport, to the east of Tokyo,
for onward travel to his new home in Iceland. He will be joined by his fiancée,
the women's chess champion of Japan, Ms. Miyoko Watai, who will fly to Iceland
with him. They should be leaving the detention center at 9:00 AM Japan time
and arrive at Narita Airport sometime after 10:00 AM. At the airport, we will
be trying to give Bobby Fischer a chance to speak to the media sometime between
10:00 AM and 12:00 noon. He will be flying out of Tokyo's Narita Airport on
the Scandinavian Airways flight to Copenhagen that leaves at 12:40 PM on Thursday.
The RJF Committee sent us documents and translations to document Fischer's
Icelandic citizenship, as well as a photograph of his new passport.
The new Act concerning Bobby Fischer's Icelandic citizenship, which was passed
by Althingi on Monday, has now taken effect. This was formally confirmed on
Tuesday afternoon, 22 March, by the Prime Minister of Iceland, the President
of the Supreme Court and the President of Althingi, in the absence of
the President of Iceland, who is abroad. The Act, No. 16/2005, has also been
published in the State News Letter Dóms-
og kirkjumálaráðuneyti at 15.30 pm on Tuesday.
In pursuance there of a Letter of Citizenship to Mr. Robert James Fischer
was issued, his name registered in the Icelandic National Registry and a new
passport for him processed, which he can use world wide.
Einar S. Einarsson and Saemundur Palsson holding the citizenship document,
in front of the old “Detention Center” jailhouse in downtown Reykjavík
RJF new Icelandic passport is now with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr.
David Oddsson. It will either been sent with courier in a diplomatic mail to
the Icelandic Embassy in Tokyo or given to Mr. Saemundur Palsson, who will
lead a new delegation and camera crew from Iceland traveling to Japan to-morrow,
with the purpose to escort Bobby Fischer to his new home land.
Saemi Palsson passing on the news to Fischer
English translations of the documents by Anna C.Benassí, state
certified translator.
Previous ChessBase articles
|  Bobby
Fischer: ich bin ein Icelander!
21.03.2005
At
5:06 p.m. today the Icelandic Althingi, has granted former world chess
champion Bobby Fischer full Icelandic citizenship. Despite stern U.S.
diplomatic warnings, the world's oldest existing democratic parliament
voted 40 in favour and two abstentions to make Fischer a full citizen.
The
readings took just 12 minutes.
|
 Fischer
to receive Icelandic citizenship
19.03.2005
"Iceland
has just got its tenth grandmaster – Robert James Fischer," rejoiced
the RJF Committee. The country's parliament decided unanimously a few
hours ago to grant Fischer Icelandic citizenship. Japanese authorities
have confirmed that in such a case they would release the detained former
world champion. Long
read.
|
 Playing
the Al Capone Gambit against Fischer
15.03.2005
It's
a strategy that worked well on leading mob figures: if you can't get
them, let the IRS do the job. Former world champions Fischer was initially
detained in Japan because of invalid travel document, then we were told
it was for breaking sanctions in 1992. Now it looks like the US government
will use tax evasion and money laundering to bring him down. Reports
and video.
|
 Bobby
Fischer: five days in solitary confinement
08.03.2005
We had just reported about Fischer's new passport, which an Icelandic delegation
had carried to Japan. A minor mystery was why it had not been handed over
to him last Wednesday, as planned. Now we learn that Japanese authorities
had put the former world champion into solitary confinement. For five days.
Over a hard-boiled egg. We are
not joking. |
 Fischer's
passport – to freedom?
08.03.2005
March 9th is Bobby Fischer's 62nd birthday. By chance a very special
gift has arrived in Japan for the former world champion: an Icelandic
passport with which he may be able to travel to freedom after more than
six months in a Japanese detention facility. We have exclusive
pictures of the new passport.
|
Fischer
receives an Icelandic passport
2/23/2005
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.
|
 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. |
