BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

09/05/2008

Amnesty International Appeals For U.S. Lawyer Imprisoned In Belarus

Amnesty International has issued an appeal calling for support for U.S. lawyer Emanuel Zeltser kept in custody in Minsk since March (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 15, 2008). "U.S. national Emanuel Zeltser was detained when he flew in to Belarus on March 12. He is held in a state security services detention facility in the capital, Minsk, where according to his lawyer he has been interrogated and beaten, and has been denied the medicine he needs urgently to treat his diabetes and arthritis," the human rights watchdog wrote in its appeal. Zeltser was reportedly arrested on charges of using forged documents. Representatives of the U.S. diplomatic mission were allowed to meet with Zeltser twice, on March 27 and April 25. After the second visit, U.S. Consul Caroline Savage reported that Zeltser's health was deteriorating, noting that he had difficulty walking and talking and that he had been beaten two or three times while in custody. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2008/05/3-cee/cee-090508.asp

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