Though my involvement is now 1 of 6 years. the Slepaks ordeal spans the course of 12 years. beginning in 1970. At that time. Vladimir. a radio and television engineer who became a member of the Moscow Helsinki Monitors in 1976. and his wife. Maria. a physician. first applied to emigrate from the Soviet Union with their two sons. In response to this and every subsequent application. the Slepaks were denied permission to emigrate until 1977. when Aleksandr. the elder son. was allowed to join his American wife in Israel. That same day. however. the younger son. Leonid. received his draft notice and was forced to go into hiding to avoid this punitive use of conscription.
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emigrate