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8 Jewish Activists Beaten by Guards

July 19, 1973
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Eight Moscow Jewish activists who were released from jail several days ago, bore marks, and in three cases severe injuries sustained from beatings they suffered at the hands of prison guards. The eight served 15-day sentences for “hooliganism” and “disorderly conduct.” They were arrested outside a Moscow subway station June 29 while demonstrating to protest the denial of exit visas.

According to Jewish sources in the Soviet Union one of them is suffering from a kidney infection as a result of beatings. Another has spinal Injuries and a third is unable to use his left hand. All had visible bruises.

A Soviet deputy prosecutor surnamed Makarevich saw the prisoners after they had complained of the beatings to a high ranking Army officer. He admitted that the prison guards had violated regulations but excused them by suggesting that they might have been “nervous” or “just in a bad mood,” the sources reported.

Jewish sources reported that the investigation into the case of the Goldstein brothers. Grigory, 42, Isai, 35 of Tiblisi, Soviet Georgia, has been completed by the authorities and files have been presented to court but no trial date has been set. The brothers have been charged under Art. 206 of the Georgian penal code with dissemination of anti-Soviet propaganda, spreading anti-Soviet information and slandering the Soviet State.

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