Speech #980156546

I met Iosif in Leningrad where he lives with his elderly and infirmed parents who are also refuseniks. He is trained as a computer engineer. However since 1979 when he first applied for permission to emigrate to Israel. he was forced to leave his career employment and has only been able to find work at odd jobs on a parttime basis. Currently he works as a hospital orderly. His August 1979 refusal was based on his studies at the Leningrad MilitaryMechanical Institute. He was refused at 6month intervals since that time until December 1982. It was then that losif received a final refusal. notification that he will never be granted permission to emigrate. and that he may not reapply for an exit visa. At 30 years of age the prognosis for the remainder of losifs life is as a pariah of Soviet society. Remarkably Iosif is undaunted.