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ANDROPOV ON "DISSIDENTS" "This is why Western propaganda makes so much fuss about `human rights' and about the so-called `dissidents'...Soviet citizens have the right to criticize and to make proposals. This right is guaranteed by Article 49 of the Constitution, which forbids repression for criticism...But it is an entirely different matter when a few individuals tranform criticism into anti-Soviet activity, violate the law, supply Western propaganda centers with false information, disseminate false rumors, try to organize anti-social actions...These renegades have no support from the Soviet people. This is why they never try to
make open speeches in factories or on collective farms or in other state
organizations. They know very well that they would be thrown out of such
meetings...The existence of dissidents in the Soviet Union is only
possible because of publicity campaigns in the foreign press, and support
for them through dipolmatic, secret and other special services who pay `dissidents'
ge! nerously in foreign currency and by other means. There is no
difference between the payment which secret services makes to their own
agents and to dissidents." |