Seriously ill US citizen Zeltser remains in KGB jail

The Supreme Court of Belarus left a judgment against US citizen Emanuel Zeltser and his secretary Vladlena Funk unchanged.

A cassation appeal was hear in the Supreme Court on October 31.

Emanueal Zeltser and Vladlena Funk were detained at Minsk National Airport on March 12. On August 11, Zeltser was sentenced to three years in prison on charges of attempted industrial espionage and the use of fake documents. V. Funk was sentenced to one year in prison on the same charges. The both say they are not guilty.

E. Zeltser was also charged with smuggling drugs, but the court found that medicines taken by the lawyer for the last 15 years were not illegal drugs.

Hearing of a cassation appeal by the Supreme Court was scheduled for September 26, but it was delayed as the court needed “additional documents”. As lawyer Zmitser Harachka told to BelaPAN, nobody contacted him for any documents.

The authorities of the US seek Zeltser’s release on humanitarian grounds, as his health has deteriorated greatly in prison without the prescribed medicines. In August, the US embassy gave all necessary medications to the Belarusian authorities, but Zeltser didn’t receive them. Necessary medical care is one of the key requirements for improving US-Belarus relations.

Patton Boggs law firm, whose client is Emanuel Zeltser, addressed the International Monetary Fund to reject reserve loan to Belarus, asked by the National Bank, while the American lawyer remains in jail. A similar petition was sent to the IMF by Freedom house.