Yuri is now finishing his prison term and will soon be released. However. reports come to us that the KGB has paid a visit to Yuri in his prison cell. to warn that once he is released. he must not resume his activities. Meanwhile. there is no reason to believe that he will be freed to emigrate to Israel. Nearly 5 months have passed since the November summit in Geneva between United States President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. With the Soviet Party Congress approaching in a few days and the second round of summit meetings between Reagan and Gorbachev planned for June in Washington. DC. There is still no concrete evidence- despite many rumorsof a significant improvement in the plight of Soviet Jews. In fact. on December 30. the Soviet Union issued a press statement labeling all rumors of an imminent largescale Jewish emigration as a "vicious lie." The 1985 year therefore bodes ill for the future of this beleaguered community. The emigration figures for the beginning of 1986 remain dismally low. 79 people were allowed to leave in January. For all of 1985 only 1.140 emigrated compared to more than 50.000 in 1979. The Soviets have not changed their overall policy regarding the emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel. While they have released several well known activists. Vladimir Lifschitza Leningrad activistwas arrested on trumptedup charges.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration emigrated