BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/07/2008

US lawyer Zeltser does not plead guilty in industrial espionage in Belarus trial

US citizen Emanuel Zeltser and his secretary Russian citizen Vladlena Funk have been attending criminal trial in Minsk today, Khartiya'97 reports. They were detained by the KGB agents five months ago, on March 12, and have been kept in a KGB jail. The trial will be held behind closed doors, online paper says.

Zeltser has been presented accusations of using of forged official documents, drugs smuggling and commercial espionage. His secretary is accused of using of forged documents and commercial espionage. The details of Zeltser's arrest are not officially commented, as the case is has a status of a state secret.

The US lawyer does not plead guilty of "industrial espionage" he is accused of, and he says it's a "totally false case", Khartiya'97 marks. The US Department of State demanded the Belarusian authorities to release the American lawyer immediately.

Ukraine's Interior Minister banned to enter Presidential Secretariat by State Protection Service

Interior Minister of Ukraine, Yuri Lutsenko, claims that the State Protection Service banned him to enter the Presidential Secretariat, news agency UNIAN reports, referring to the minister's statement to journalists in the Cabinet of Ministers on today.

At the same time, the Minister, Yuri Lutsenko, did not specify when exactly the entry ban was introduced. "I faced it at the last session of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), when my car was not let in - but I'm free from vanity, I went on foot, and it appeared that a special permit of the superintendent is necessary for me to enter the Secretariat, to take part in the NSDC session. I asked them whether a personal invitation from the President is not cooler that the instruction of Mr.Geletey [State Guard Service chief - UNIAN]? In 15 minutes it appeared that I may enter and take part in the NSDC session", Yuri Lutsenko announced.

Source:

http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=1611

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