Innocent people receive up to 13 years of hard labor or are forced into exile without the benefit of defending themselves at a fair trial. This defies the very intent of the Helsinki accords "to respect the right of national minorities to equality before the law. afford them the full opportunity for the actual enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms." Not only is there rampant repression within the Soviet Union. but the alternatives for deliverance from it are limited at best. It is now nearly impossible for most Jews to obtain exit visas. Only those with "first" relatives in Israel can apply. and even some of these requests have been denied. The "first" relative rule has been made stricter. now applying only to immediate family membersa direct violation of Soviet domestic law and certainly of the principles embodied in the accords under the "Reunification of Families" provision which binds the Soviet Union "to deal in a positive and humanitarian spirit with members of their family * * * and to deal with applications in this field as expeditiously as possible." Unless the Soviet Union can justify 5- to 10year waiting periods as expeditious. it has not abided by these principles either. AntiSemitic propaganda. decreased emigration figures to alltime lows. great numbers of Prisoners of Conscience: These are the facts of life for Soviet Jews today. a drastic worsening of the human rights situation. How many more agreements will the Soviet Union be quick to sign. then act as if they were nonexistent? This travesty of justice cannot be overlooked by the United States.
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emigration visas