For example, to apply for an exit visa, a Soviet citizen must first produce an affidavit from a close relative in another country stating a desire to reunite the family. However, Soviet authorities have stopped delivering many of these affidavits when they arrive.

The deterioration in the circumstances of Soviet Jewry, however, is not merely a quantitative one. Current developments point to a fundamental and qualitative change in the situation of these people. More Jewish activist were tried and imprisoned during the past year than during the previous several years. Jewish cultural efforts are being attacked with new and frightening vengeance. Self-study groups are being disbanded; prayer books and books dealing with Jewish culture or religion are being confiscated with increased vigor; Hebrew teachers are being warned to stop teaching or face imprisonment. It appears as though Soviet authorities may be issuing a final statement to those Jews who are seeking to exercise their religious rights. Rather than merely restrict or contain the Jewish movement as in the past, the Kremlin now seems bent upon ending any vestige of Jewish life.

Refusenik scientists are now viewed as a High Risk Group. They are not permitted to emigrate and at the same time are being destroyed in Soviet society as their scientific degrees are rescinded and they are placed under intensive surveillance and house arrest.

Anti-Semitism through the state-controlled press has increased. Cartoon caricatures of Jews, a practice reminiscent of Nazi Germany, and repeated derogatory references to persons with Jewish names are frequently published. The Soviet state publishing house has prodiced a virulently anti-Semitic book and this and other anti-Semitic material have been distributed to Red Army recruits and published in official military journals.

Since 1962, 13 members of the Vashchenko family and 11 members of the
Chmykhalov family have been denied permission to emigrate from the

Soviet Union to practice their Pentecostal faith. Living in the town of Chernogorsk, Siberia, the Pentecostals were subjected to physical and psychological harassment, including imprisonment beatings, separation of family members, confinement in mental institutions, kidnapping of children and unexplained deaths.

On June 27, 1978, Maria and Timofei Chnykhalov, and Lilia, Peter, Liubov,
Lidia and Augustina Vashchenko rushed past the Soviet guards at the
United States Embassy in Moscow to seek refuge. John Vashchenko, Augustina's

son was wrestled to the ground by the Soviet guards, taken away and
nearly beaten to death, and returned to his home 2000 miles away.

Since that time, the "Siberian Seven," as they are called, have resided in one small basement room of the 0.8. Hibassy and have waited patiently for the Soviets to grant their requested exit visas..

On Christmas day, two of the seven, Lidiya and her mother Augustina, beyjan a hune strike to dramatize their plight. On January 30, Embassy officials were forced to place Lidiya in a Soviet hospital in Moscow to prevent irreversible damage to her health from a continued hunger strike.

Since her hospitalization, Lidiya has recovered completely and on February 11 was discharged. On February 12, after being permitted by Soviet authorities to re-enter the American Embassy to say farewell to her parents and sisters remaining there, Lidiya returned to Siberia to

reapply for dagration in accordance with Soviet

1.w.

As of last week, Lidiya learned that she would hear at the end of the
month whether her preliminary request to denounce her Soviet citizenship
has been accepted before she could receive her exit visa. The twenty-
year period of harassment because of her family's religious beliefs
has not yet been resolved.

In conclusion, as we look around the world we see that the dreams of those who wrote and passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights, and the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or belief, have not been fulfilled. There is strong reason for alarm in the seemingly unrelated acts of violence, persecution and

bigotry prevalent in Iran, Poland and the Soviet Union.

The freedom from religious persecution has the deepest roots of all human rights. All others flow from the ultimate dignity of our own thoughts and conscience.

We in the United States, who are so fortunate to have religious freedom quaranteed, must speak out and fight against religious persecution throughout the world. The American people have long cherished and represented the value of human liberty for all poople and we must work to prevent persecution and discrimination wherever it exists.

America is a symbol of the principle of freedom for the oppressed. If the United States is silent in the face of the expressed instances of religious persecution it would be seen as acquiescence and would deal a final blow to those persecuted for their religious beliefs. A clear and firm policy utilizing all appropriate forums is required.

I have asked my colleagues to support a resolution condemning religious persecution wherever it exists and asking the President to take every possible opportunity to oppose these reprehensible acts in the strongest possible terms. To date, 88 Members of Congress have cosponsored H. Con. Res. 249.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Subcommittee for holding hearings on this crucial issue and to reiterate my thanks to my

distinguished colleagues, Chairman Bonker, and Mr. Leach.

97TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION

H.CON. RES. 249

Condemning religious persecution and bigotry as an official policy or practice of national governments.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 26, 1982

Mr. PORTER submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Condemning religious persecution and bigotry as an official policy or practice of national governments.

Whereas groups associated with the Government of Poland are implementing a policy of disseminating anti-Semitic propaganda to the peoples of Poland which is designed to link Solidarity with Judaism;

Whereas the Government of Iran has persecuted peoples of the Baha'i faith, has burned Baha'i homes, has destroyed and demolished Baha'i cemeteries, has dismissed Baha'is from public and private employment, has confiscated Baha'i property and companies, has jailed Baha'is unjustly, and has killed more than one hundred individuals of the Baha'i faith since 1978;

Whereas the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics continues to discriminate on the basis of religion,