Convicted Spy Jonathan Pollard Is Eligible For Parole In November, Could Be Released

Convicted spy Jonathan Pollard could be released from prison after serving 30 years of his life sentence.

NPR's Carrie Johnson reports that he will be eligible for parole in November. "Under the laws in place at the time [of his sentencing], Pollard is eligible for parole unless he's acted up in prison or likely to commit another crime," she says.

Pollard, 60, was arrested in 1985 and eventually was convicted of espionage for conspiring to pass national defense information to Israel. Carrie reports that the Israeli government has repeatedly pushed for his release.

It would be up to the Justice Department to tell the parole board if Pollard doesn't meet the conditions for parole. Federal sources tell NPR that the department is unlikely to object to Pollard's release later this year.

Responding to a report that the release would be linked with Israel's opposition to the nuclear deal with Iran, the White House says there's no link between Pollard's situation and any foreign policy situation.

As we previously reported on The Two-Way, the U.S. and Israel discussed the possibility of his release in 2014.