A Little Something

I am not blind, nor am I stupid. But I like to believe that, most of the time, people who are arrested are arrested because they have done something wrong. I like to think that people who are convicted of a crime are guilty. I like to think that the conviction will be just. Call me optimistic, faithful, loyal, naive, whatever. It's what I like to believe. It isn't, however, what I ACTUALLY believe. It isn't true.

There are places in this world where people are persecuted for no reason. Where they are arrested with false charges. Where they are held with no conviction, and where they are treated inhumanely. This country I live in is no exception. But I am not posting about my country. I'm posting about this one man.

This man is in Prison in Belarus, and I've met him. It was a long time ago, when I was a kid, but still, he is family of people I once considered myself very close to. I am posting a link to a website. I think the site itself is a bit thrown together, and perhaps a bit one sided and emotional. My point is, I can't claim to know the motivations of people or of governments. But I don't think it's right to deprive a person of legal counsel or of medication, let alone to mistreat them physically. This website sheds a little light on the situation, and offers information on what can be done. I think it also might be monitored by family members.

I guess I am simply writing this to raise a little awareness around this one guy's case. Because when I heard about it I wanted nothing more than to be able to DO SOMETHING. And really, what more can I do?

Here is a cut and paste of a document my brother sent me:

UANetwork Office AIUSA 600 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC 20003 T. 202.544.0200 F. 202.675.8566 E. uan@aiusa.org amnestyusa.org/urgent/

Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though you may not have
received the original UA when issued on May 7, 2008. Thanks!

16 June 2008

Further Information on UA 121/08 - Torture and other ill-treatment/serious ill health

BELARUS Emanuel Zeltser

Emanuel Zeltser is still being refused the medication that he desperately needs to treat his diabetes and arthritis. Since his arrest on 12 March, the Belarusian authorities have denied Emanuel Zeltser the treatment he needs and he is now in a great deal of pain, is unable to walk and has difficulty talking.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Emanuel Zeltser was arrested and detained on 12 March as he arrived by plane in Belarus. On 21 March he was charged with “use of forged documents.” He is being held in a state security services detention facility in the capital, Minsk, where he has been interrogated, allegedly beaten and denied the medicine he needs urgently to treat his diabetes and arthritis.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- calling on the authorities to ensure that Emanuel Zeltser immediately receives the medication prescribed by his doctor, that his lawyer has provided to the detention facility;
- calling on the authorities to order an urgent, independent investigation of reports that Emanuel Zeltser has been tortured or otherwise ill-treated, and to bring those responsible to justice;
- urging the authorities to ensure that Emanuel Zeltser is protected from further torture and other ill-treatment, and given regular access to US consular representatives, lawyers of his choice and any medical attention he may require.


APPEALS TO:
Alyaksandr Lukashenka
President
Administratsia Prezidenta Respubliki Belarus
ul.Karla Marksa, 38
220016 Minsk
BELARUS
Fax: 011 375 17 226 06 10
011 375 17 222 38 72
Salutation: Dear President Lukashenka

Grigorii Vasilevich
Prosecutor General
Internatsionalnaya str., 22
220050 Minsk
BELARUS
Fax: 011 375 17 226 42 52
Salutation: Dear Prosecutor General

COPIES TO:

Vladimir Naumov
Minister of Internal Affairs
Gorodskoi Val str., 2
220050 Minsk
BELARUS
Fax: 011 375 17 203 99 18
Salutation: Dear Minister

Ambassador Mikhail Khvostov
Embassy of the Republic of Belarus
1619 New Hampshire Ave NW
Washington DC 20009
Fax: 1 202 986 1805
Email: usa@belarusembassy.org



PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 28 July 2008.