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European Parliament Adopts Measure on Situation of Soviet Jews

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The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has called on the Soviet government to cease its discrimination against its Jewish minority and to open the gates for Jews to emigrate, the World Jewish Congress reported here.

In a resolution adopted during its current session, the Parliamentary Assembly expresses concern “over the precariousness of the situation of Jews in the Soviet Union” and declares it is “a larmed over the continued harassment, trials and imprisonment of Jews seeking permission to emigrate to Israel or other countries.”

According to the WJC European Branch, a detailed 17-page memorandum “on the situation of the Jews in the Soviet Union” is appended to the resolution.

The text notes “with concern the continued anti-Semitism prevailing in many areas of Soviet life.” It calls upon the Soviet government “to allow Jews in the Soviet Union to live free from discrimination, and to enjoy the right to exercise their Jewish religion, their cultural tradition and to teach and learn the Hebrew language; to cease the diffusion of anti-Jewish propaganda; to release all Jewish Prisoners of Conscience; to allow those Jews who want to emigrate to Israel or to other countries to do so.”

The resolution concludes by calling upon members of the Parliamentary Assembly “to continue intervening within their national parliaments and with their governments to press for Soviet compliance with the demands put forward in this resolution.”

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