Speech #990165933

I stand today to speak out for those who are currently being denied the right to freely express their own views and beliefs. Last weekend the Soviet Union recognized the accomplishments of women as they commemorated International Womens Day on March 8. Unfortunately. while theSoviets were praising the accomplishments of women. one very brave woman sat in prison when she committed no crime except her desire to emigrate from the Soviet Union and freely practice her religious beliefs. I would like to bring to your attention Nadezhda Fradkova. who exemplifies the Soviet Unions abysmal human rights record. Nadezhda is a brilliantly talented and brave Soviet woman who has been subjected to repeated physical and psychiatric abuse and even imprisoned for her efforts to emigrate from the Soviet Union. Nadezhdas unfortunate situation. however. is just one example of the terrible injustice and hypocrisy of the Soviet Union. There are currently over 400.000 Soviet Jews who are awaiting permission to emigrate from the Soviet Union. Since 1979. there has been a drastic decline in the number of Soviet Jews who have been allowed to emigrate. Last year. only 1.140 Soviet Jews were allowed to emigrate. This is significantly less than the 51.320 who emigrated in 1979. Refuseniks and prisoners of conscience such as Nadezhda Fradkova. have been subJected to antiSemitic sanctions including loss of Jobs. denial of medical treatment. and restrictions on education. Emigration is a right guaranteed by international law. The Soviet Union is a signator of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. and the Helsinki agreements. We must insist that these agreements be enforced. We must mobilize public opinion and focus international attention on the Soviet Unions flagrant violation of individual human rights. The Soviet Union must be persuaded to improve its emigration and human rights policies. particularly those concerning Soviet Jews. I urge my colleagues to join me today in support of Soviet Jews. such as Nadezhda Fradkova. who are seeking their rights to emigrate.