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THE PRESENT SITUATION OF DISSIDENTS AND REFUSENIKS IN THE USSR


(a public lecture and discussion by Sonia Lerner)

	Since the late 1960s, 150,000 Jews have emigrated from
the USSR.  However, some of the earliest applicants to leave
are still denied permission.  Among them is Alexander Lerner,
well known in cybernetics.  Fired from their jobs and prevented
from attending scientific meetings, and subject to imprisonment
if they protest strongly, their situation is extremely difficult.

	Besides the %2refuseniks%1, there are those who protest the
injustices of the Soviet system, wishing to stay and improvement.
They include people wanting freedom of speech and fair elections,
religious people wanting to teach religion to their children, and
workers protesting bad working conditions and injustices at work.
Their worsening situtation is shown by the recent trial of Yuri
Orlov, a prominent physicist who monitored Soviet non-compliance
with the Helsinki agreements.  Orlov was denied the opportunity
to call witnesses, denied the opportunity to question prosecution
witnesses, denied counsel of his choice, denied permission to
present a written statement.  His friends were not permitted to
attend the "public trial" required by the Soviet constitution,
and the trial was filled with secret police hecklers, who were allowed
to interrupt Orlov's attempts to defend himself.  He got a seven
year sentence.

	Sonia Lerner is the daughter of Alexander Lerner, a mathematics
graduate of Moscow University, and was permitted to emigrate to
Israel several years ago.  She will tell us about the present
situation and what American and other foreign scientists have
done and can do to help their oppressed Soviet colleagues.

8pm, Friday June 9, Tresidder xxxx
Sponsored by