Speech #960209448

And why has the spotlight of public attention from outside the Soviet Union continued to shine on Shcharansky? Shcharansky is a Jew. He sought to emigrate to Israel. As required by Soviet law. Shcharansky applied for an exit visa in 1973. His request was denied. on grounds that he had access to classified information. He continued to seek to emigrate. particularly after his wife was allowed to go to Israel in 1974. He became an activist in the Jewish emigration movement. In 1976. he helped to organize a committee to monitor Soviet compliance with the human rights provisions of the Helsinki agreements. He was arrested in 1977guilty of what?-guilty of nothing more than challenging the Soviet authorities to live up to their obligations under Soviet law and to live up to their obligations under international agreements.