These three men. Moisey Tonkonogy. Moisey Zats. and Leonid Volvosky. are being persecuted merely for applying to emigrate to Israel. a right specifically granted to them by the Soviet Union in the socalled Basket III of the Helsinki Accord on Security and Cooperation in Europe (signed August 1. 1975). principle No. 7. This treaty was signed by the Soviet Union. in exchange for which it received major concessions from the United States in the economic sphere (in Basket II) and in the recognition of the current boundaries of the Warsaw Pact states (in Basket I). As signatories to this treaty. we have the right to complain about Soviet violation of its specific precepts. Mr. Tonkonogy has been arrested on the charge of "parasitism." A "parasite" is someone who was fired from his job for applying to emigrate. and then is arrested for not having a job. Mr. Volvosky is being threatened with vagrancy charges. stemming from the fact that he too lost his job when he applied to go to Israel some 6 years ago. Mr. Zats is being threatened with prosecution on trumpedup charges of embezzlement. All these men want is their right to emigrate. I am submitting this for the RECORD with the understanding that a copy will be sent to Leonid Brezhnev. insisting that the U.S.S.R. live up to its treaty rights.*
Keywords matched
emigrate