Soviets Reportedly OK Family’s Bid to Emigrate to France

Serafim Yevsyukov, who served two labor camp terms for refusing military service, was told Friday that he and his family could leave the Soviet Union, his sister said.

Lyudmila Yevsyukov, 26, said the government bureau in charge of issuing visas told her brother to bring the necessary documents today to receive visas for France, where the family has been invited to live permanently.

Yevsyukov, 25, was pardoned earlier this month after serving over a year of a three-year labor camp term, his second for refusing military service. He has consistently refused to join the army saying that he did not want his military service to be used by authorities as a reason to keep him from emigrating.

While he was in camp, his father, also named Serafim, was twice locked up in a Moscow psychiatric clinic.