"By carrying out terror against the population he deems 'disloyal,' Lukashenko has far exceeded the borders of Belarus. Crimes have been committed in at least 30 states that are parties to the Rome Statute. We are talking about crimes against humanity in the form of deportation and persecution on political grounds", — said Pavel Latushka, leader of the "Latushka’s Team and Movement for Freedom" faction, during the parliamentary hearings of the Coordination Council of Belarus, which took place on January 23 at the initiative of his faction.
Pavel Latushka emphasized the key questions of the past four years:
Will Alexander Lukashenko be held accountable for these crimes?
Will the rights of the victims be at least partially restored?
Is justice in Belarus possible, and how can it be ensured?
"The first thing we need to focus on is the available mechanisms for ensuring justice. I will be as direct as possible: there are only two such mechanisms. The first is the investigation of these crimes within national justice systems based on the principle of universal jurisdiction. The second is an investigation within the framework of the International Criminal Court (ICC) procedures.
Regarding the possibility of investigating these crimes under the principle of universal jurisdiction, it is important to note that this mechanism excludes the possibility of prosecuting individuals who have personal immunity. Whether we like it or not, Lukashenko enjoys this privilege. Therefore, the absolute priority for us is the ICC mechanism", — Pavel Latushka stressed.
Pavel Latushka pointed out that following the precedent set by the Myanmar-Bangladesh case, where one of the countries was not a party to the Rome Statute, the ICC ruled that it had jurisdiction over crimes under the Rome Statute if at least one element of those crimes was committed on the territory of a state party to the Statute. The National Anti-Crisis Management has gathered compelling evidence that Lukashenko’s crimes — deportation and persecution on political grounds, classified as crimes against humanity — fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC.
"On October 2, 2024, the Office of the ICC Prosecutor officially announced the launch of a preliminary investigation into the 'Belarusian situation.' However, the final outcome largely depends on the witnesses available to the ICC Prosecutor’s Office. Each of us can contribute to ensuring that testimonies of these crimes are submitted to the ICC", — Pavel Latushka noted.
"I would like to appeal to the members of the Coordination Council and all Belarusians to send us any relevant information: documents, audio/video recordings, or any other materials that can confirm the facts of Lukashenko and his regime orchestrating a policy of persecution against Belarusian society and creating conditions that force Belarusians to flee their country. These materials will be assessed and, in accordance with established procedures, transferred to the ICC Prosecutor’s Office. Currently, about 30 human rights organizations have committed to submitting relevant information to the ICC Prosecutor’s Office.
In addition, the official positions of other countries are of critical importance. In this regard, I call on all members of the Coordination Council to do everything possible in their communication with parliamentarians from allied countries to ensure that they join Lithuania’s referral to the ICC", — Pavel Latushka urged members of the Coordination Council.
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