Speech #960185943

Marat Osnis. his wife Klaudia. and their son. Boris. of Chernovitz. U.S.S.R.. were denied exit visas to emigrate from the Soviet Union. This action was particularly arrogant since the Osnis family were informed i May of last year that they could expect their visas in the near future. Since people came to look at his flat. having been told that it would soon be vacant. a last minute change of Soviet policy prevented the Osnises from being reunited with his patents in Israel. They were told to reapply for visas in 1981. Marat Osnis first applied for an exit visa on March 3. 1972. That application was denied on the grounds that he had access to secret Information at his place of work. His parents and grandmother applied for exit visas at the same time and those applications were granted. The grounds for refusal of Marats visa--that he had access to secret information at workwas an obvious sham since Marat Osnis never received a security clearance and never had access to U.S.S.R. state secrets. Foreigners were working at Marats place of employment. giving further credence to the notion that the alleged grounds for refusal to grant the visa were for reasons other than those stated. Klauda Osnis was in the third year of her studies at the university when she applied for her exit visa. She was expelled at that time and has not been able to complete her degree. Both Marat and Klaudia have been forced to sell many of the possessions left behind by his parentsin order to supplement their income to pay their living expenses. The reason given by the Soviet authorities for refusing Klaudas application to emigrate was that they did not wish to separate her from her family. However. In February 1977. Klaudias parents. Yakov and Bella Shekhtman. applied for exit visas to Israel together with their younger daughter.-Shela. Yakov was fired from his job as a textile technician and they. too. were denied permission to leave the Soviet Union. Meanwhile. Sheila married Boris Kogan. and they. too. applied for and were denied exit visas. Several times during 1977. Marat Osnis was summoned to the KGB. the Soviet secret police. for questioning in connection with Anatoly Shcharansky and with regard to his contact with tourists. He and his friend. Mark Grauer. were accused of meeting with tourists in order to smuggle out information about the Soviet Union. in an article in a magazine. Last year. the KGB told Marat Osnis that he could expect his exit visa shortly. But that permission was refused In October of 1979 and Marat Osnis was told to try again in 1981. Mr.