He stood. seemingly alone. weakened from the many arduous months of pretrial confinement. and awaited the verdict in his trial for treason and espionage from a court that had tendered a conviction long before he was brought to trial. Today is the third anniversary of the arrest of Anatoly Shcharansky. a man whose courage. ideals and vision must never vanish from the hearts and minds of men and women the world over. It must never vanish until he and thousands like him in the Soviet Union are allowed to emigrate to a country of their choice. where they may practice without fear of persecution. the religion and politics of their choice. Anatoly Shcharansky remains hostage to a nation that refuses to acknowledge his Godgiven right to freedom. He was arrested on March 15. 1978. not for committing treason and espionage against the State. but rather for having the audacity in the eyes of the Soviets to monitor Soviet noncompliance with the Helsinki accords. His trial. if you could call it that. was not a trial for justice. but rather a vehicle for the Soviets to frighten all wouldbe emigrants. I suspect the reverse may have occurred. that it may have convinced those Jewish people who wish to emigrate that to back down to a government whose concept of human rights is a narrow one at best. reserved for those who show undying loyalty to the Statewould somehow give credence to what the Soviets were practicing. What the trial did was show the world that more pressure must be brought upon Russia to cease their relentless persecution against people who are no danger to the security of the State. people whose only wish is to emigrate and be treated like human beings. I said that he stood seemingly alone in that courtroom. Perhaps he was not alone for in some way we were all there beside him.
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emigrate emigrants