A number of young Jewish activists have been threatened with conscription into the Red Army, according to reports reaching here from the USSR. The most prominent of those faced with two years in the Soviet armed forces is a twenty-six year old mathematician, Yuli Vexler.
he has been asked to report to his district military commissariat today. vexler will be 27 in a few months, many years ago. Yevgebne regarded as being post-military service.
It appears that this conscription attempt is a deliberate action to prevent his emigration to Israel. After having served two years in the army, he could then be accused of being in possession of “military secrets”. This, in turn, could disqualify him from emigration to Israel for at least another five years, making 1981 the earliest possible date for departure.
Other Jews are now being refused permission to leave because they served in the army. Yevgeny Baras played the balalaika in an army band six years ago. his application was turned down in December. Leonid Bindersky of Tiraspoil dug ditches while a conscipt and has been told he was not to leave until 1979.
In addition to Vexler, Lev Kogan and Anatoly Sharansky, two young Moscow activists, have also been threatened with conscription.
Another two, Yuri Naupok and Viasheslav fischkin, staged a hunger strike last week. This resulted in a permit being granted to Naupok while Fischkin was told by the Moscow emigration office that he could not leave for Israel for at least another year.
Jerusalem Post 2 April 1974