From October 14 to 17, Pavel Latushka, the representative for the transit of power of the United Transitional Cabinet, embarked on a working trip to Prague. During his visit, Pavel Latushka conducted several meetings in the Czech Republic and participated in the opening ceremony of the 27th Forum 2000 Conference titled "For a Democratic World Order."
During the meeting with the Head of the Czech Parliament, Markéta Adamová, the following outcomes were reported:
A meeting of the heads of parliaments and representatives of the parliaments of the Crimean Platform is scheduled to take place in Prague next week. The Head of the Czech Parliament plans to address the responsibility of the Lukashenko regime in the illegal transfer and subsequent indoctrination of Ukrainian children during the meeting. The NAM provided information on war crimes committed by the Lukashenko regime. Crimes against humanity were being addressed separately.
NAM presented a list of proposed sanctions to be considered for potential implementation at the national level in the Czech Republic, similar to the Magnitsky Act. The sanctions target representatives of the Lukashenko regime, security apparatus, military structures, so-called law enforcement agencies, propagandists, and sports officials associated with the regime. The Head of the Czech Parliament pledged to forward these proposals to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for further consideration of the possibility of implementing national sanctions in the Czech Republic.
The issue of the simulated election campaign in Belarus, planned by the regime for next year, was also discussed. The Head of Parliament emphasized that it is impossible to recognize the elections in Belarus due to the large number of political prisoners and ongoing repression in the country.
During a meeting with the Minister of Defense of the Czech Republic, Jana Černochová, the following matters were discussed:
Possible support for Belarusian volunteers serving in the Ukrainian armed forces.
The role of the Lukashenko regime in the aggression against Ukraine, as well as regional security concerns. The ongoing focus on the situation in Belarus was emphasized. The NAM team presented information on Lukashenko's assistance in prolonging the war against Ukraine, including the utilization of Belarus' military-industrial complex for manufacturing weapons in Russia's interests and the involvement of Wagner Group representatives in military training in Belarus.
Jana Černochová expressed support for the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus and the democratic forces of Belarus in their endeavors to achieve democratic changes in the country.
During a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Justice of the Czech Republic, Karel Dvořák, the following topics were discussed:
The possibility of utilizing universal jurisdiction to hold accountable those responsible for torturing Belarusian citizens. Currently, over 40 victims from Belarus reside in the Czech Republic, and criminal cases against Belarusian police officials have been initiated based on allegations of torture. An agreement was made to hold consultations between the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor General's Office of the Czech Republic regarding these issues.
Concerns were raised about the act of aggression against Ukraine, in which the Lukashenko regime was involved. An agreement was reached to coordinate with the Czech Foreign Ministry on this matter.
Information was provided regarding the investigation into the deportation of Ukrainian children. It was agreed to share information on this case, including in the context of the preparation of a resolution in the National Assembly of the Czech Republic regarding the illegal deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories of Ukraine. Additionally, the topic of crimes against humanity and the Czech Republic's potential support for investigating these issues within the ICC were separately discussed.
The meeting was attended by the representative of the democratic forces of Belarus in the Czech Republic, Kryscina Shyjanok, as well as the head of the department for human rights and the rule of law of iSANS, Yuri Dzhibladze.
During the meeting with Tomáš Dub, Deputy Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic, the main topics of discussion were the harmonization of EU sanctions against Russia and the Lukashenko regime, as well as the activities of the Belarus-EU advisory council.
Separate discussions were held regarding the legal prosecution of representatives of the Lukashenko regime, both within the national jurisdiction of the Czech Republic and within the ICC.
A meeting was held with Ondřej Šebek, President of the National Sports Agency, and Jaroslav Miller, Deputy Minister of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic. During the meeting, the following topics were discussed:
Representatives of the Czech Republic stated that they have a general government decision prohibiting the participation of athletes from the Lukashenko regime in competitions held on Czech territory due to the regime's support for aggression and repression against Belarusians.
The Czech side expressed readiness to welcome free Belarusian athletes to participate in sports competitions held in the Czech Republic. An interaction algorithm with the democratic forces of Belarus on this matter was determined.
Pavel Latushka expressed gratitude for the assistance in organizing the rehabilitation of a Belarusian athlete who had suffered from repression in Belarus.
Pavel Latushka conveyed the gratitude of Belarusian students in the Czech Republic to Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, Jaroslav Miller, for a meeting with five former political prisoner-students who were accepted by the Czech Republic and granted government scholarships.
A meeting with the Director General for European Issues of the Czech Foreign Ministry, Jaroslav Kurfürst, took place, where the following agreements were reached:
Intensifying cooperation on the adoption of national sanctions by the Czech Republic.
Establishing relationships with the treaty and legal department of the Czech Foreign Ministry on issues of responsibility of the Lukashenko regime, using international institutions, for crimes against Belarusians, crimes against Ukrainian children, and acts of aggression. Proposals for the introduction of sanctions against institutions of the Union State, individuals associated with the activities aimed at eliminating Belarusian independence and sovereignty, specific legal entities and personalities involved in mass repressions in Belarus, prosecutors, judges, and heads of correctional institutions were submitted.
A meeting with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Czech Senate, Pavel Fischer, and a member of the National Assembly of the Czech Republic, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs, Ondřej Kolar, was held. Discussions focused on the preparation of a resolution in the Czech Parliament regarding the illegal transfer and indoctrination of Ukrainian children as war crimes against the Ukrainian people. NAM provided information on the work regarding the issue of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children and the report on crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenko regime. The Czech Parliament representatives noted that a corresponding resolution is currently being prepared on the facts related to the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children and their indoctrination. The materials submitted by the NAM team will be taken into account in the preparation of this decision.
Additionally, Pavel Latushka met with Belarusian students from the Czech Republic, where topics such as obtaining student visas and the importance of interaction between Belarusian students in the Czech Republic and the democratic forces of Belarus were discussed.