Zeltzer and Funk’s trial is conducted according to legislation

The hearing of the case of a US citizen, lawyer Emmanuel Zeltzer and his secretary, a Russian citizen Vladlena Funk (Bruskova) is being conducted according to the Criminal Code of Belarus.  Their lawyer Dzmitry Harachka informed about it in an interview with BelaPAN. The closed hearing started in Minsk City Court on July 30. It is being conducted by the judge Dzmitry Klimovich. Neither relatives nor representatives of the American and Russian Embassies are allowed to attend it. The lawyer thinks that it may last for about 2 weeks.

The lawyer had to give a written undertaking not to distribute information. He does not exclude that he may be forbidden to reveal the details of the process even after it is over. According to Harachka, his clients “stand firm”. At the same time he said that Zeltzer’s condition was “serious”. E.Zelzer and V.Funk were detained in Minsk on March 12. They were officially accused on June 17. Zeltzer is accused of forging official documents, drugs smuggling and commercial spying. Funk is accused of forging official documents and commercial spying. Many criminal aspects of the case are not commented on as they are termed state secrets.
E.Zelzer is threatened with seven year of imprisonment and V.Funk – with up to three years. The accused insist on being innocent.