President. not because the mention of this name suggests an unsilenced threat to mankind and societyas the Soviet authorities would have us believebut because it suggests the qualities of valor. determination. integrity. and concern which are personified by Mr. Shcharansky and which are necessarily targeted for silencing by the Soviet regime. Though arrested March 15. 1977. the ordeal of Anatoly Shcharansky began much earlier in the 1970s when. due to his reputation as an activist in the Jewish emigration movement. he was repeatedly refused permission to emigrate to Israel. While these denials reflect the callousness of Soviet emigration policy. the actions of the Soviet authorities. after encouraging Mrs. Shcharansky to leave for Israel with false promises that her husband would soon follow. exhibit a maliciousness and dishonor which any civilized nation would eschew. Following Mrs. Shcharanskys emigration on July 5. 1974. the day after her mariage. the Soviet media began a campaign vilifying Anatoly Shcharansky. The obvious denouement came on March 15. 1977. with his arrest. He spent the following 16 months in solitary confinement having no contact with his family whatsoever. whether through the mail or personal visits.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration