Amnesty International calls to support Emanuel Zeltser, thrown to KGB jail

Human rights organisation Amnesty International organises an action of support of American lawyer Emanuel Zeltser.

The organisation calls on its supporters to address the Belarusian authorities and require Zeltser to be given all necessary medicines and independent examination on the facts of violence against him to be carried out to punish the guilty persons,” BelaPAN informs.

As the statement of the international human rights defenders says, Emanuel Zeltser was detained in Minsk on 12 March. On 21 March he was charged with using faked documents. Zeltser is kept in the KGB pretrial jail, where he had been “interrogated and beaten, and had been denied the medicine he needed urgently to treat his diabetes and arthritis.”

On 25 April United States consul Caroline Savage was permitted to visit him on 27 March and 25 April. After the second visit she said Zeltser’s health had deteriorated – he had lost a considerable amount of weight, was very weak, had difficulty walking and talking.

The Amnesty International calls to appeal to Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka, prosecutor general Ryhor Vasilevich and minister of internal affaires Uladzimir Navumau and call on them to ensure defence of Zeltser from physical abuse and allow him to have regular meetings with US consul, lawyer and doctor.