But still she cannot leave. Lidia met the Soviets demand by returning to her hometown. but the Soviets have not fulfilled their commitment. Since Lidia returned home. all hopes for a resolution to this emigration case have been stymied. After several months of offering empty promises and false information. in June 1982. the Soviets again officially denied them their exit visas. Their situation grows bleaker by the day. They have been subjected to increasing police harassment and brutality. Currently. family members are not permitted to work and they have been reduced to picking over garbage to feed themselves. On June 27. 1982. 4 years after entering the Embassy. two Vashchenko family members began another hunger strike. On July 1. 1982. two more family members joined the protest in order to advance their 20year emigration effort. While this legislation will not secure exit visas for the Vashchenkos and Chmykhalovs. it will grant them protection under the U.S. Constitution. In so doing. the families will be assured of our deep and abiding concern for them.
Keywords matched
emigration visas