"Since 2020, Belarus has become a stage for mass atrocities and large-scale international crimes. The regime has committed widespread torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, rape, and other forms of sexual violence, enforced disappearances, arbitrary imprisonment, and killings. All these atrocities are taking place with complete impunity for the perpetrators, forcing hundreds of thousands of Belarusians to flee the country", said the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM), Pavel Latushka.
A side event was held in Warsaw as part of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference on the topic "Mobilizing the OSCE Moscow Mechanism to Examine the Forced Displacement of Belarusians and Their Extraterritorial Persecution", organized by NAM.
Opening the event, Pavel Latushka expressed his gratitude to the Lithuanian government for submitting information on the situation in Belarus to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenko’s authoritarian regime against Belarusians. "Fear and persecution have forced hundreds of thousands of Belarusians to leave their homeland, abandoning everything — life, home, loved ones. More than 300,000 people have fallen victim to the crime of deportation. This step by Lithuania is crucial for Belarusians on the path to restoring justice and breaking the vicious cycle of terror", noted Pavel Latushka.
The presentation was organized by the National Anti-Crisis Management in cooperation with the Human Rights Center "Viasna" and the International Committee for the Investigation of Torture in Belarus. It was attended by diplomats from the UK, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, France, Sweden, and other OSCE member states, as well as representatives of diplomatic missions in Warsaw, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Belarusian, Polish, and international human rights organizations. Several victims of the Lukashenko’s regime gave testimonies during the event.
The event focused on presenting an analysis of the potential of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism to examine the forced displacement of Belarusians and their extraterritorial persecution. This issue has gained particular relevance in light of Lithuania's recent appeal to the International Criminal Court to investigate transnational crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenko’s authoritarian regime against Belarusians.
"We are grateful to our Belarusian colleagues from the National Anti-Crisis Management, the human rights organization 'Viasna', and other partners for their assistance in gathering, summarizing, and presenting data to the ICC Prosecutor's Office. We invite all interested EU countries that have ratified the Rome Statute to officially join Lithuania's appeal", said Lithuania’s Chargé d'Affaires in Poland, Audronė Markevičienė, during the presentation.
"I believe that continued joint efforts by OSCE member states to comprehensively study and assess the deportation and extraterritorial persecution of Belarusians will encourage countries to join Lithuania's appeal to the ICC and help ensure justice for every victim", emphasized NAM Head Pavel Latushka.
The National Anti-Crisis Management will continue its systematic work aimed at supporting ICC member states in backing Lithuania's appeal.
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