In December of 2008, a complaint alleging the Byelorussian authorities violated Mr. Zeltser’s civil and political rights was filed to the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The 21-page complaint noted that I faced “physical beatings, inhumane and unsanitary treatment, including withholding physician-prescribed medications”, during his KGB detention. The case of unlawful detention was also brought up before the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

Simultaneously, an urgent letter signed by eight ranking Members of the US Congress was dispatched to Byelorussian dictator Lukashenka demanding immediate release of Mr. Zeltser: stating:

"... we are writing to you today to express our grave concern regarding the health and well-being of Emanuel Zeltser, a U.S. citizen imprisoned in Belarus... We are deeply troubled by Mr. Zeltser's arrest as well as the inhumane treatment he has received while in your government's custody...   during Mr. Zeltser's internment in Belarus he has been denied regular independent medical evaluation and the U.S. consul in Minsk has reported that he has been physically assaulted and abused while in detention. This abuse is unconscionable and has been reported by Amnesty International, which has urged authorities in Belarus not to subject Mr. Zeltser to "further torture and other ill-treatment" As you know, the U.S. Department of State has also directly expressed "deep concerns about the state of his health," and has repeatedly called for Mr. Zeltser's release on humanitarian grounds, as has Representative Alcee L. Hastings, Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. We share their concerns and strongly urge your government to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Zeltser... " ( Letter from the Members of Congress)

At the Hearing of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the US Helsinki Commission,) “On Democracy and Human Rights in Belarus” Assistant Secretary of State, David J. Kramer said on September 16, 2008:

“In addition to the [undemocratic] conduct of elections in Belarus, another key issue in improving the relations between the U.S. and Belarus is Belarusian authorities' treatment of imprisoned U.S. citizen Emanuel Zeltser. Mr. Zeltser was arrested in March of this year and later convicted in a secret trial on charges of using false documents and economic espionage. Despite our many repeated requests, we have been allowed consular access to Mr. Zeltser only five times and were denied access to his closed trial. And despite our many efforts, including facilitating an exam by an American doctor and even bringing his medications to prison officials, Mr. Zeltser reports he has not been allowed access to all his prescription medicines or their comparable Belarusian equivalents. Our consular officer and the American doctor reported such a severe deterioration to his health since his imprisonment that we have requested Mr. Zeltser's release on humanitarian grounds. With a real possibility for a significant improvement in the relationship between U.S. and Belarus, we hope there will be a quick, humanitarian resolution in Mr. Zeltser's case. We will continue to request consular access to Mr. Zeltser to monitor his welfare as well as press for his access to his prescribed medicines. And as long as Mr. Zeltser's welfare remains endangered, we will continue our call for his humanitarian release.” 

Responding to the international pressure, KGB press office had made another bogus announcement, falsely stating that Emanuel and Vladlena had been convicted for "attempted commercial espionage" against Belneftechim in a so-called "closed-door trial". The charge of "espionage" has been a KGB-NKVD favorite since the dark days of Soviet oppression. The Belarusian government has never released or provided any documents of the purported "verdict" or any other disposition of the "closed-door-trial". When diplomatic officers of the US and Russian Embassies in Belarus requested to attend the "trial", their requests had been promptly and unequivocally denied.

In February of this year, the House Foreign Affairs Committee released its report to accompany the Foreign Affairs Authorization bill, H.R. 2410. The law included the section on Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in Belarus, which reiterated concerns about the authoritarian crackdown in Belarus by President Lukashenka. Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (The Helsinki Commission,) Senator Benjamin L. Cardin said at the Congressional Hearings:

“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, co-chairman Representative Alcee Hastings.”

         Senator Cardin further stated:

“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.” 

Vladlena freed after a year in KGB prison

After being held in a Byelorussian KGB detention facility for  373 days, Vladlena, who is a Russian citizen and US permanent resident was finally released on March 20, 2009, after the Russian Ambassador to Belarus hinted that her continuous detention may have a negative impact upon the relationship between the two countries. After she was freed, the world learnt the horrible truth about the abuse she suffered at the hands of the Byelorussian KGB. "I was held hostage for over a year" Vladlena said during her first press-conference. "I was rescued from this unlawful detention thanks to the incredible efforts by the US diplomats. God bless America."

But Emanuel's imprisonment continued while the Byelorussian authorities tried to negotiate a deal with the US Department of State to trade Mr. Zeltser's freedom for the US lifting sanctions against Belarus. The US government took a firm stance of not using its citizen held hostage as a "bargaining chip" said Jonathan Moore, US chargé d'affaires in Belarus. US and international pressure on the government of Belarus to free Emanuel Zeltser grew more intense.

On June 12, 2009, Administration of Barack Obama, continued the sanctions pursuant to the "Notice on Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Actions and Policies of Certain Members of the Government of Belarus and Other Persons That Undermine Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus."

On June 30, 2009, a delegation of US Senators and Congressmen traveled to Belarus and demanded the immediate release of Mr. Zeltser. Yielding to this unprecedented pressure from the US and European Community, Byelorussian dictator Lukashenka signed an order decreeing  Mr. Zeltser's release. "I never thought that this person could become an issue in relations between our states,” Lukashenka said, "[but] if it is very important to America and our relations and may contribute to the normalization of our relations, I’ll sign the edict today." Mr. Zeltser was released from KGB detention late the same day.

"This is a shining moment for international diplomacy" said Joseph Brand, a senior partner with Patton Boggs, a Washington law firm that worked with the US State Department and members of Congress to secure Zeltser's freedom, "Belarus has restored the freedom of a man who was wrongly detained" he said.

Concerns over Belarus human right abuses remain

"The United States welcomes the release of American lawyer Emanuel Zeltser from Belarus  prison," said Ian Kelly, spokesman for the US Department of State. But Mr. Kelly said : "We still have other concerns of course with some of the actions of the Belarusian government." US Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, who headed the US delegation to Belarus said: "We welcome the release of Emanuel Zeltser. However, we made it clear to President Lukashenka that the only way to improve the relationship between our countries is for him to increase political freedom and respect for human rights. ( report)