Alexander Paritsky. a leader of the Jewish community in Kharkov. Ukraine. was recently sentenced to 3 years in a labor camp for slandering the Soviet state. It is clear. however. that his only real crime has been his desire to immigrate to Israel. Mr. President. I believe we must make it very clear to Soviet leaders that their continued violation of the internationally recognized human rights of their citizens is unacceptable to the Congress and to the American people. While the Paritsky case is important on its own. it should also remind us of the thousands upon thousands of other Jews in the Soviet Union who desire to be free. Unfortunately. the number of those granted permission to emigrate has continued on a precipitous decline during the last 12 months. Last months total363is the lowest monthly figure since the Jewish exodus from the U.S.S.R. began 10 years ago. What does this mean for the tens of thousands of other Jews in the Soviet Union who have applied to emigrate? Well. it means they will have to wait a very long time before they are free to practice their religious beliefs. Their wait will also be quite painful. for after requesting permission to leave. they become pariahs in their own country.
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emigrate immigrate