Iosif Ziselovich Begun, sometimes spelled Yosef (born 9 July 1932, Russian: Иосиф Зиселевич Бегун, Hebrew: יוסף ביגון) is a former Soviet refusenik, prisoner of conscience, human rights activist, author and translator.
"[4] In February 1987 refusenik protests against Begun's continuing imprisonment took place on Arbat Street in downtown Moscow.
[5][6][7] Following the refusenik protests, Begun's release from prison was announced on 16 February 1987 by Georgy Arbatov, a member of the Central Committee, in a Face the Nation interview on CBS.
[12] Haifa University awarded Begun an honorary doctorate "in recognition of his continued struggle to make Aliyah.
"[13] Begun settled in Jerusalem, and as of 2010 was running a small publishing house specializing in the translation of Jewish books into Russian.