Pieta Pinkasov. a carpenter. was sentenced to 5 years in a labor camp. The charge was that Pinkasov had performed some illegal freelance work. He and his family had previously obtained visas to Israel. They were set to leave when Pinkasov was arrested. Second. On November 19. the trial of 26yearold Aleksandr Feldman began in Kiev. The charge is "malicious hooliganism." Feldman has been trying for 2 years to emigrate. Third. On October 25. Leonid Zabelishensky. an unemployed electrical engineer who taught at the Ural Polytechnic Institute. was arrested and charged with "parasitism." The investigation by Soviet authorities continues even though Zabelishensky is currently taking care of their sick son and his wife works and earns a susbtantial income. The Zabelishenskys had applied for exit visas in These cases give a brief indication of what is presently occurring on a massive scale. I could cite numerous additional instances of intellectuals and Jews brought under investigation. put on trial. or forcibly confinedall during the past month. Every new wave of repression further consumes my faith in the efficacy of diplomatic appeals by the American leadership and public appeals by concerned American citizens. These efforts seem to induce more change in the appearance of Soviet policy than in its conduct. It is time for the Congress to realize that the Soviet Union will never allow its Jews and intellectuals to live in peace unless it becomes materially costly to do otherwise. I must again speak to the moral sensibilities of my colleagues to ask them to deny the President discretion to grant most favored nation status to the Soviet Union unless it guarantees freedom of emigration. The unceasing message from the victims of Russian persecution is that JacksonMillsVanik is their only hope. If that hope is extinguished. we must bear the responsibility.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration visas