Speech #1010042424

President. I find it truely unjust that Mr. Genis has been forced to such degradation for desiring to emigrate. Anatoly Genis is an example of individuals in the Soviet Union suffering from the oppression of religous prohibition and faulty emigration policies. Mr. Gorbachevs efforts for democratization have done little to help Mr. Genis. At least 60 percent of the requests for emigration which are denied. are refused on the basis of secrets which might endanger Soviet national security. Many of these so called secrecy refusals are given to those who have no current knowledge of any information which would endanger Soviet national security. It is true that great numbers of Soviet Jews are successfully emigrating. but it is also true that the human rights of many Jews inside the Soviet Union continue to be violated. Mr. President. it is imperative that the Soviet Union stop the irrational and arbitrary denial of exit visas. I call upon Mr. Gorbachev and the Soviet Government to codify the freedom of emigration into Soviet law. to end the arbitrary use of "secrecy refusals." to continue to approve emigration visas for the increasing numbers of Soviet Jews. and to allow Mr. Anatoly Genis and his family to emigrate.*