Speech #530132391

One. Alexei Murzhenko. is scheduled to be released on Friday. However. the oppression of those desiring to emigrate from the U.S.S.R.. especially refuseniks. continues. The Soviet Union has committed itself to three international agreements: The Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1947). the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (1966). and the Basket III of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Final Act (Helsinki Agreement 1975). Yet the Soviet Government refuses to adhere to these international obligations. In order to apply for emigration. each Soviet Jew must have an invitation from Israel. Since 1968. over 600.000 invitations have been sent to Soviet Jews who expressed a desire to emigrate. Yet. only 263.851 have been granted permission. and the rate of emigration is decreasing. While 51.320 Jews were allowed to emigrate in 1979. only 1.314 were granted permission in 1983. Since 1979. there has been a 98percent reduction. This year. under the reign of the new SecretaryGeneral Konstantin Chernenko. even fewer have been allowed to leave the country. Emigration was limited to just 88 Jews in January. 90 in February. 51 in March. and 74 in April. The denial to emigrate is not the only disturbance that Jews face in the Soviet Union. The Government has sanctioned antiSemitic campaigns. RefuseniksJews denied permission to emigrateare often subjected to restrictions on university enrollment. removed from their jobshighly trained professionals are given work as unskilled laborers or denied work completelyand denied access to necessary medical treatment. Leaders of the Jewish community have been arrested for promoting Jewish culture through Hebrew classes and seminars on science and mathematics. and for celebrating Jewish holy days. Refuseniks soon learn that their past emigration applications make them vulnerable to increased harassment. Many have been sentenced to prison terms and exile in Siberia. As part of my individual efforts to assist Soviet Jews. I have adopted a refusenik from Moscow. Mark Nashpitz. Mark was a dentist before he submitted his application to emigrate. Now. he has been labeled a refusenik and suffers greatly. being denied the right to work in his profession. He has served a prison sentence for this crime.