Factual data and legal analysis in the first detailed report
NAM partner, the Center for Law and Democracy Justice Hub published a report on crimes against humanity in Belarus and the mechanisms for holding the perpetrators accountable. The National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM) provided utmost support to the Center for Law and Democracy in carrying out this important work.
The report, published on July 26, actually justifies the fulfillment of the international criminal law criterion of "sufficient grounds to believe" that the unlawful deprivation of liberty, torture, murder, rape (including against minors), enforced disappearances, persecution on political grounds, as well as deportations in the context of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Belarus from May 2020 to the present, constitute crimes against humanity. The report indicates that at least 136,000 people have become victims of these crimes.
We would like to draw special attention to the part of the report where it emphasizes that this attack on the civilian population is the state policy of the Lukashenko regime.
The components of this policy include:
Violence against protesters;
Ensuring impunity for the perpetrators;
Discrimination against the targeted civilian population;
Deprivation of liberty of the attacked civilian population;
Statements by high-ranking officials encouraging attacks on civilians;
Propagation of hatred against civilians through the media;
Prohibition of professional activities for the attacked civilian population.
The report devotes special attention to the main perpetrators of these crimes, including representatives of Belarusian power structures such as OMON, KGB, GUBOPiK, among others, as well as judges, prosecutors, and the top political leadership of the regime, including the dictator himself.
The chapters dedicated to the mechanisms for bringing these perpetrators to justice are of particular value.
Of particular value are the chapters dedicated to holding those responsible for these crimes accountable. In fact, these chapters contain a detailed algorithm of actions for the utilization of specific mechanisms of international criminal justice. We are referring to the International Criminal Court, the creation of a special international criminal tribunal for Belarus, and the application of universal jurisdiction at the national level.
NAM is already working in these areas, and the results of this work will undoubtedly be communicated promptly to the Belarusian people.
This report aims to contribute to the fight against crimes against humanity in Belarus and to support the aspirations of the Belarusian people for an end to violence, oppression, and impunity, and the pursuit of peace, democracy, and justice.
The International Law Commission recognized crimes against humanity as a threat to international peace and order. In accordance with Article 1 of the UN Charter, each UN member state has committed itself to combating such crimes.
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