Popularly known as the Helsinki Accords. the agreement established a clearly defined and farreaching code of conduct for the signatory nations. Particularly important in this lengthy document was its emphasis on the recognition of human rights and fundamental freedoms. including. in the words of the agreement: " * 0 the freedom of thought. conscience. religion or belief." The Helsinki Accords required each participating nation to respect those human rights and freedoms. and to "deal in a positive and humanitarian spirit" with persons who have applied to leave their native land to be reunited with members of their families in other countries. This human rights provision held a tremendous promise of a freer and brighter future for millions of persons living under Communist regimes. and particularly for the thousands of Soviet citizens of Jewish faith who have been harassed. persecuted and oppressed in the Soviet Union for attempting to practice their religion or for applying to emigrate to Israel. For a brief time after the signing ceremony in Helsinki. the Soviet regime appeared to be making an effort to comply with its pledged word. Especially was this true in the realization of controls on emigration to Israel. In 1979. for example. some 51.000 Soviet Jews were permitted to leave the Soviet Union. But. sadly. that was the high mark. Since 1979 the situation has changed drastically. The Soviet Union has clamped down the most severe restrictions on emigration of Soviet Jews. In the first 6 months of 1984 only 484 Soviet Jews received emigration visashalf the number permitted to emigrate in 1 week in 1979. Even worse. the Kremlin has allowed and encouraged increasingly harsh persecution and harassment of its citizens who profess and attempt to practice their Jewish religion. Typical of these thousands of presecuted Soviet citizens is a most courageous woman.
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emigrate emigration