The Canadian House of Commons has unanimously censured the Soviet Union for the arrest of four dissidents–Alexander Ginzburg, Nikola Rodenko, Alexy Tikhy and Yuri Orlov. The almost unprecedented motion asked the Minister for External Affairs, Don Jamieson, to express Parliament’s “disappointment and deep concern” over the incarceration of the human rights activists. It was supported by the government and opposition parties.
The MPs were urged to back the censure by former External Affairs Minister Mitchell Sharp because “failure to protest might imply indifference.” Sharp said, “I am aware of the difficulties and dangers of appearing to interfere in the internal affairs of another country. Since the Helsinki Agreement, however, such matters can no longer be regarded as purely internal and there are occasions when specific protest is both justified and necessary.”
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