[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S2135]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BELARUS IMPRISONMENT

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, as chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I 
would like to bring to the attention of the Senate a situation which is 
literally a matter of life and death for an American citizen, Emanuel 
Zeltser, who has been imprisoned in Belarus since March 12, 2008. Mr. 
Zeltser is in desperate and immediate need of serious medical 
treatment--including a coronary bypass operation.
  The poor human rights record of President Lukashenka's regime is well 
known. No American--indeed no human being--should be subjected to the 
kind of treatment Mr. Zeltser has been forced to endure during his 
incarceration. Despite Mr. Zeltser's grave health condition--he suffers 
from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, severe arthritis, gout, and 
dangerously elevated blood pressure--Belarusian authorities have 
repeatedly refused to provide Mr. Zeltser with his prescribed 
medications.
  He was initially denied two independent medical evaluations and he 
has reported being physically assaulted and abused while incarcerated. 
Amnesty International has urged that Belarusian authorities no longer 
subject Mr. Zeltser to ``further torture and other ill-treatment.''
  Mr. Zeltser was convicted of ``using false official documents'' and 
``attempted economic espionage'' in a closed judicial proceeding. The 
U.S. Embassy in Minsk criticized the proceedings, noting that it was 
denied the opportunity to observe the trial. The State Department has 
repeatedly called for Mr. Zeltser's release on humanitarian grounds. So 
have others in Congress, especially my colleague on the Helsinki 
Commission, cochairman Representative Alcee Hastings.
  But now the situation appears dire. Earlier this month, Mr. Zeltser 
was examined by an American doctor. It was only the second time an 
American physician has been permitted to see Mr. Zeltser. The doctor 
concluded that ``there is a clear and high risk of sudden death from 
heart attack unless the patient is immediately transferred to a U.S. 
hospital with the proper equipment and facilities. . . . Refusal to 
transfer Mr. Zeltser to a U.S. hospital is equivalent to a death 
sentence.'' Specifically, Mr. Zeltser is in dire need of a coronary 
bypass procedure. The doctor also determined that because he had been 
denied prescribed diabetes medication, Mr. Zeltser's left foot may need 
to be amputated.
  In response to a press inquiry in December, the State Department 
called for ``the Belarusian authorities to release Mr. Zeltser on 
humanitarian grounds before this situation takes an irrevocable turn.'' 
Based on the recent doctor's report it is apparent that such an 
irrevocable turn is imminent unless this American citizen can be 
brought home promptly for the medical treatment necessary to save his 
life.
  Belarus has taken some tentative steps to improve its notably poor 
human rights record, in particular the release of several political 
prisoners last August. However, Mr. Zeltser's continued, and 
potentially terminal, imprisonment threatens to override those 
initially encouraging signs. As such, I strongly urge the Belarusian 
authorities to release Emanuel Zeltser on humanitarian grounds so that 
he may obtain the immediate medical treatment his doctor has concluded 
is required if he is to live.

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