Sixty-seven Congressmen have sent a joint letter to Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev urging him “to do everything in your power to expedite the emigration of Marina Tiemkin” of Moscow who, at the age of 13 in 1973, was kidnapped by Russian police from her father, Prof. Alexander Tiemkin, after both had received exit visas to Israel.
The letter was initiated by Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D. Colo.) following a Capitol Hill visit to members of Congress by Dr. Tiemkin organized by the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry and Union of Councils for Soviet Jews. Tiemkin now lives in Israel and is associated with Tel Aviv University.
The letter points out that “father and daughter have been denied any communication in the past eight years.” The SSSJ said that since his arrival in Israel Tiemkin has waged an unceasing battle for Marina’s release. He periodically received information from friends in the USSR that Marina continued in her desire to rejoin him, but that for the past two years authorities nave shut down any news conduits.
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