The Afghan Legation here today denied to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the government of Afghanistan was withdrawing passports from Afghan Jews. Only those Jews who were irregularly naturalized are being deprived of passports, Legation officials declared, pointing out that many Bukharan and Dhagestanian Jews had escaped from these Soviet provinces and had adopted Afghan nationality.
The Legation officials also assured the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that there are no anti-Jewish laws in existence in Afghanistan.
The statement flatly contradicts reliable reports received by the Jerusalem executive of the World Zionist Organization and recent cables which told of strong anti-Semitic measures adopted by the Afghan government, including heavy special taxes on Jews, withdrawal of citizenship rights and a threat to confiscate all Jewish property if any Jew committed a crime.
Palestinian Zionist leaders have set aside a number of immigration certificates to the Holy Land for Afghan Jews in view of the growing restrictions against them.
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