BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

09/06/2009

Imprisoned US citizen goes on hunger strike in Belarus

An American lawyer sentenced in Belarus for espionage has gone on a hunger strike to protest against delays in considering his bid for amnesty.

Emmanuel Zeltser was sentenced to three years behind bars in March 2008 after being convicted at a closed trial for commercial espionage and using false documents. He is an expert on organized crime and money laundering.

The United States raised protests over his detention and raised concerns about his health in custody, since his attorney says he is not getting proper medication for diabetes.

On Tuesday, Zeltser told his attorney Dmitry Goryachko he had begun a hunger strike demanding amnesty.

Under a new Belarus law signed in early May by President Alexander Lukashenko, all prisoners sentenced for minor misdemeanors, for less than six years and already at least halfway through their term, can be released early.

Zeltser qualifies for amnesty, but the decision to set him free is to be made by the Mogilevo Penal Colony where he is serving his term. Meanwhile, the Minsk City Court that holds his files is for some reason reluctant to pass them on to Mogilevo.

Zeltser hopes that a hunger strike will help attract attention to the bureaucratic delay.

Belarus law-enforcement agencies have not yet commented on the situation.

Source:

http://www.mosnews.com/world/2009/06/09/zeltser/

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