Arbitrary arrests and imprisonment. brutal intimidation and physical abuse. and the inhumane. pointless breakup of familiesthese are standard operating procedures in the nation which claims to be the beacon of hope for oppressed people around the world. Consider the case of Isaak Shkolnick. a semiskilled mechanic from Vinnitsa. in the Ukraine. Isaak applied in July 1972 for a visa to emigrate to Israel. and was immediately arrested on fabricated charges of being an industrial spy first for Great Britain. and then for Israel. His trial began 12 years ago this week behind closed doors at a local factory. Not a single family member was allowed to attend. Isaak maintained his innocence until November. when his stateappointed lawyer informed him that if he did not change his plea to guilty. he would be sentenced to death. Isaak changed his plea. and was sentenced to 7 years of hard labor. At this point. the Soviets threw in another vicious twist: They allowed Isaaks wife and daughter to emigrate to Israel. The family has not been united since 1973. Isaak has applied again and again for permission to leave. most recently this past December.
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emigrate visa