The case of Vladimir and Efim Feldman. unfortunately. is characteristic of this treatment. Along with their mother. Riva Feldman. the two brothers made their first emigration application in October 1972. They were refused. and Efim was drafted into the army. He completed his duty in 1975. That same year. Vladimir was drafted. but was demobilized in 1976. Riva Feldman. an active member of the Moscow Womens Refusenik Group. finally was permitted to emigrate in April 1980. Her sons. however. have repeatedly been denied permission to emigrate on the grounds that their military service made them privy to "state secrets." even though Efim had been out of the military for 7 years and Vladimir only served 1 year as a guard for a construction unit. The world must not remain silent while these people and others are denied the opportunity to live in freedom. The National Conference on Soviet Jewry estimates that only 182 Soviet Jews were allowed to emigrate in June of this yearthe lowest monthly figure in over 10 years and a 96percent decrease from comparable figures in June 1979. Mr. Speaker. I hope my colleagues will continue to speak out for the Feldmans and others seeking to emigrate from the Soviet Union.e
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration