Situation of the Jewish community in the USSR

Recommendation 632 (1971)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 23 January 1971 (25th Sitting) (see Doc. 2847, report of the Committee on European Non-Member Countries). Text adopted by the Assembly on 23 January 1971 (25th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Recalling its Resolution 412 (1969) on the situation of the Jewish communities in European non-member countries, which still holds good ;

2. Considering that the appeals made by several member governments, and representatives of all sectors of public opinion in the West over the recent Leningrad trial were followed by a decision of the Supreme Court of Russia to commute the death sentences ;

3. Noting, however, that the sentences passed remain extremely severe, and that the trial reflected long-standing problems facing the Jewish community as a whole in the Soviet Union ;

4. Concerned at the possibility of further action against Soviet Jewish citizens who appeal to be reunited with members of their families living abroad, especially in Israel, on the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ;

5. Concerned at the growth of anti-Zionist propaganda in the Soviet Union, liable to result in a spread of anti-Semitism, and which has further restricted the freedom of Soviet Jews to maintain their own cultural life and to practise their religion, either as citizens of the Soviet Union, or, for those that wish to do so, by settling abroad ;

6. Noting that during a press conference held on 5 December 1966 in Paris, Mr. Kosygin, Prime Minister of the Soviet Union, stated that there was no problem with regard to the reunion of families ;

7. Considering that the vigilance of governments, parliaments and public opinion over the situation of the Jewish community in the Soviet Union must be maintained,

8. Recommends the Committee of Ministers to urge member governments in their contacts with the Soviet Union to ask that the Soviet Government should contribute further to the improvement in East-West relations and understanding between the peoples of Europe by taking the following measures :

by allowing Jews to leave the Soviet Union, in particular those who wish to do so, to reunite with members of their families living abroad, especially in Israel ;

by guaranteeing that no action will be taken against Soviet Jews claiming this right, in pursuance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ;

by granting the Jewish community the cultural and religious rights guanteed to all national and ethnic groups on a basis of complete equality by Article 123 of the Constitution of the USSR ;

by prohibiting anti-Semitic propaganda in the form of books or other publications in pursuance of the same Article.