Mr. President. the news that the Soviet Union is bringing increasing numbers of its Jewish citizens to trial on a variety of pretexts is deeply disturbing. One can reasonably suspect that the trials are an effort to intimidate those tens of thousands of Jews in the Soviet Union who wish to emigrate to Israel. In fact. the crimes that become apparent in these trials are not the alleged crimes of the Jewish defendants. but rather the crimes of the state against its own Jewish citizens. First the Soviet authorities deny their Jewish citizens full freedom to carry on their religious. educational. and cultural traditions. Then. when in frustration these citizens decide to emigrate to a land where they can live a full Jewish life. the authorities subject them to harassment and arrest. The Soviet authorities should know that such repressive measures can never succeed. For every Jewish citizen brought to trial. a thousand more will want to leave the country. The Jews of the Soviet Union are entitled to justice in leading their daily lives. and they are entitled to emigrate if they so choose. I hope that all the pressure of world opinion will be brought to bear on behalf of justice for Soviet Jews. This is not simply an internal affair of one country.
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emigrate