Speaker. I welcome this opportunity to speak on the current state of Soviet Jewry. The Helsinki accords guarantee the right to emigrate and the reunification of separated families. Yet the Soviet Union. one of the original signers of this document. has failed to abide by its provisions--Soviet Jewish families are continually harassed and denied their right to emigrate. On this occasion. 2 days after the 32d birthday of Anatoly Shcharansky. we are reminded of those who. like him. speak out in defense of their basic human rights and are targets of the greatest oppression. For 21/2 years Anatoly has been unjustly imprisoned. denied rights to which other prisoners are entitled. and is being withheld needed medical attention. The situation of the Soviet Jew today is an unpredictable one. Those who have applied for exist visas are subject to loss of jobs. separation of families. and continual harrassment simply because they are asserting rights which have been guaranteed them. Recently emigration has increased slightly. but this is only a fraction of the number still awaiting permission to leave. Of the many cases our office handles. only a very small number of those wishing to emigrate have been allowed to do so while others have been waiting for as long as 9 years. Unfortunately. this picture shows no signs of improving. Instead. it appears that these practices are increasing.
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emigrate emigration visas