My optimism is not based primarily on the successful march of democracy in recent times but rather is based on the experience of having lived in a fear society and studied the mechanics of tyranny that sustain such a society.

The reason given for denial of the visa was that he had been given access at some point in his career to information vital to Soviet national security and could not now be allowed to leave. The first is the autobiographical Fear No Evil which dealt with his trial and imprisonment. The party won seven Knesset seats in 1996.

Natan Sharansky (Hebrew: נתן שרנסקי‎; Russian: Натан Щаранский; born 20 January 1948) is an Israeli politician human rights activist and author.