Dobrynin Refuses to See Lawyers Who Ask for Fair Trial

Soviet Ambassador Anatoly F. Dobrynin refused today to see a delegation of four prominent lawyers who came to the Soviet Embassy to ask a fair trial for nine Jews on trial in Leningrad. Only one of the group, Joseph C. Rauh, past president of Americans for Democratic Action, was permitted to enter the Embassy. The others were barred by a nine-man detail of the Executive Protective Service, a special branch of the Federal police assigned to protect foreign diplomatic premises and personnel. The other lawyers were Emanuel F. Cohen, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission; Albert E. Arent, chairman of the National Community Relations Advisory Council; and Ernest Shalowitz, chairman of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington which organized the visit to the Embassy. Rauh said he was unable to see any Soviet official. He said he talked to one Russian. an un-named person whom he described as a “guard.” He said he tried to explain the purpose of the visit but was told repeatedly that neither the Ambassador nor any member of the diplomatic staff “will receive you.” The lawyers told newsmen that they have been trying to get an appointment with Dobrynin since last August to discuss the treatment of Soviet Jews and recently sent him a letter asking for an appointment today. Capt. F. V. Andruzzi, the officer in charge of the special police detail, told the delegation that he was instructed by the diplomat in charge of the Embassy that Ambassador Dobrynin would not accept any petition from the delegation and that it had to be mailed to the Embassy.