BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/06/2008

American Doctor to Examine Belarusian Political Prisoner

An American doctor plans to arrive in Minsk to hold a medical examination of US citizen Emanuel Zeltser, who is kept in the KGB jail in Minsk, Khartia ’97 website reports.

Interfax has learnt it from Emanuel Zeltser’s lawyer Zmitser Harachka.

“It is planned that an American doctor will come to Minsk to examine E. Zeltser’s state of health,” Z. Harachka said. According to him, “the US embassy in Belarus has previously sent documents to the KGB asking for an American doctor to examine Zeltser.”

The lawyer also noted that “there is not decision so far on holding such examination.” Z. Harachka said, “It is expected that my client will be given the materials of the criminal case for examination at the end of June.”

According to the lawyer, “Emanuel Zeltser still feels bad.” “There are two persons in the cell besides E. Zeltser,” Z. Harachka said.

As Interfax has informed earlier referring to Valer Nadtachaeu, spokesman of the State Security Committee (KGB), a criminal case on part 2 of article 228 9drugs smuggling) and part 1 of article 328 (trafficking of narcotics, psychotropic substances and precursors) of the Criminal Code of Belarus was instituted against E. Zeltser in late May.

According to Nadtachaeu, 100 tablets, containing narcotic and psychotropic substances, were seized from E. Zeltser. He was seized Codeine, Hydrocodone, Butalbital and Phentermine, V. Nadtachaeu said. The KGB reminds E. Zeltser was detained by KGB officers in Minsk on 12 March 2008. He was charged with an offence over part 2 of article 380 “Using of consciously forged document, providing rights, by a group of persons by previous concert” of the Criminal Code of Belarus.

In his turn the lawyer noted that “according to the investigation, E. Zeltser “transferred and kept narcotic and psychotropic substances on the territory of Belarus.” “But my client was taking these medicines. These are medicines, he was seized in the jail,” Z. Harachka said.

The media reported the arrest of the lawyer was connected with the case of died in London Georgian-Russian businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili, who was a client of Zeltser.

E. Zeltser, former USSR emigrant, is an expert in organised crime and money laundering in Russia and former Soviet republics. In 2000-2001 he was a lawyer of the detained in New York State Secretary of Belarus-Russia Union Pavel Borodin. E. Zeltser was involved in the case of money laundering via Bank of New York.

Source:

http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=1584

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