Mark Zeltser: “My brother remains of Lukashenka’s regime”
- 16.10.2008, 11:53
US lawyer Emanuel Zeltser has already spent seven months in the cell of Minsk KGB prison. He was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment on economic espionage charges.
Every day the prisoner is visited by the lawyer Zmitser Harachka. The lawyer says that he is extremely worried by the state of health of his client, who has a number of chronic diseases, but in Belarus he is not given medicines he used to take.
“Allegedly there was some commission which examined him, but it is unknown who they were, and the results of the examination haven’t been told to anyone. He complained about his state of health, he is continuing to complain about his state of health. And he says that he feels worse and worse. And I believe that, as he is not given adequate treatment,” Zmitser Harachka said to radio Svaboda.
The examination of Emanuel Zeltser’s appeal against the ruling of Minsk city court is to take place in the Supreme Court. This examination has been postponed once, from September 26 to October 31. Zmitser Harachka does not know why the examination of the case of the person who is so weak that anything can happen to him any moment is prepared so long. The lawyer does not exclude that there is another reason except the officially announced one.
As we have informed, it has been stated by the court that “examination of the appeal is postponed in connection with a necessity to find certain documents”.
Mark Zeltser, who lives in New York, says that his brother remains the only “hostage” of the Belarusian regime in bargaining with the West, and according to him, the question is being decided now for whom he is to be exchanged. Mark Zeltser hopes that improvement of relations between Belarus and the Wets would allow saving Emanuel Zeltser.
“No I am more optimistic, but maybe I am mistaken. I think that it does not have any sense to keep brother imprisoned. Or is somebody so obliged to Berezovsky that he cannot be released? Undoubtedly, interests of many people are interwoven in this story, and everything is very serious. It is possible that some day a long TV series would be created basing on this story, but the most important thing is for the man to stay alive,” Mark Zeltser noted.
According to him, Russian exiled oligarch Borys Berezovsky is interested in Emanuel Zeltser’s staying in Belarusian prison for as long period as possible. Berezovsky allegedly lays claims for part of property of Georgian businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili. Emanuel Zeltser arrived in Minsk in March on affairs related to Badri Patarkatsishvili’s will. Mark Zeltser states that Borys Berezovsky visited Minsk at least three times over the recent months.
Borys Berezovsky does not comment on these reports. As for Badri Patarkatsishvili’s estate, Borys Berezovsky says that he lays claims only for his money.