Mr. Shnirman reapplied. only to be refused. once again. in February 1978. This time. he was told that it would be inexpedient for him to emigrate as his mother and sister never asked to leave the Soviet Union. At the same time. he was threatened with conscription into the Soviet Army. Soon after his family submitted a visa application. Simon was arrested on May 31 and tried 1 month later. charged with "evasion of army service." It is hopefully anticipated that his term of imprisonment will end in December of this year. Igor Guberman. an author of popular books and articles on science for young people. was affiliated with the Union of Soviet Writers since 1965. When it became. clear to him that all ways of artistic selfexpression were closed for a Jew in the Soviet Union. he applied for permission to emigrate to Israel in December 1978. Igor had been actively involved in the Jewish movement in the Soviet Union for several years. His main contribution was to the unofficial publication. Jews in the U.S.S.R.. a journal devoted strictly to cultural and historical aspects of Jewish life in the Soviet Union. Soon after submitting this application. he was approached by KGB agents who wanted him to "keep an eye on emigrating Jews and to denounce and prepare provocations against Jewish activists." He refused. To punish Guberman. the KGB arrested him on August 13. 1979. on false charges of illegal purchasing and selling of icons. He has been collecting medieval relics for many years. which is not forbidden by Soviet law.
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emigrate emigrating visa