I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. and giving us all a chance to speak out on this most pressing issue of Soviet refuseniks detained in the Soviet Union. I appreciate the opportunity to speak out on such an important human rights matter. While I am concerned about all refuseniks wishing to emigrate. I would like to speak about just three. I have adopted two refuseniks in the Soviet Union. and I keep in contact with them in the U.S.S.R. The first of the refuseniks. Lev Gendin. is currently living in the Soviet Union with his wife and two sons. He has requested emigration for his entire family. but his requests have been rejected by Soviet officials. The plight of a second refusenik. Boris Chernobilsky. has recently come to my attention. and I have begun correspondence with him as well. The third refusenik I am concerned with is in the special divided spouse category. Pyatras Pakenas has requested emigration 16 times but has been refused each time by Soviet officials. It has been 6 years since Pyatras has seen his wife. a resident of my district and a new American citizen. He has never seen his 6yearold grandson.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration