Speaker. I am pleased to participate in the "Spirit of Helsinki. Vigil 1980." on behalf of all prisoners of conscience and all who are being detained in the Soviet Union as a result of that Governments repressive emigration policies. In 1975. 35 nations signed the Helsinki Final Act. which committed the 35 signatory nations to pursue policies consistent with basic principles of human rights. including the reunification of divided families whose members live in different countries. religious freedom. minority rights. and free travel between countries. Unfortunately. the Soviet Government has regarded the human rights provisions of the Final Act as empty promises. This is most apparent now in the Soviet Unions restrictive emigration policies. We who take freedom from such harassment for granted must do all we .can to change these practices. -Today. I would like to bring to my colleagues attention. for the third year. the plight of Edouard Mikhailovich Rynsky and his family in Moscow. He. his wife Natalya. his daughter Yelena. and his mother Mariya. have now applied over six times for emigration visas since 1974. and have been refused each time. ostensibly for "state interests." This continued refusal of their emigration applications is entirely groundless. Mr. Rynsky had left his position as a design engineer engaged in elevator design projectswith a second class security clearancein 1972. 2 years prior to first applying for his emigration visa. He found another job as an engineer with a passenger elevator operation and maintenance agency. in no way associated with sensitive matters. Since 1974. he has been employed as a mechanic at a small fac-
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