I would like to bring to my colleagues attention the latest developments in the plight of Soviet Jewry generally and the case of Vladimir Slepak and his family specifically. I cant think of a human rights issue which has drawn more concern from the Members of this Congress than Soviet Jewryand with good cause. Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union has decreased by 98 percent since 1979. and life for those who remain behind has become increasingly more repressive. These people are forced to remain in a country where they are the victims of religious persecution by a government which openly sanctions antisemitism in its policies and in its press. One particular example of this is the case of Vladimir Slepak. one of the pioneers of the Soviet Jewry emigration movement. In April 1970. Vladimir Slepak. his wife Maria. and their sons first applied for their exit visas. They were refused for reasons of "secrecy" and "state interests." Since then. Vladimir has become a leading activist and a spokesman for Soviet Jews trying to go to Israel.
Keywords matched
emigration visas