FAST DOWNLOAD
Lithuania has called on the International Criminal Court to investigate possible crimes against humanity committed by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, including deportations, persecution of political opposition and inhumane treatment.
The judicial entity, which is based in The Hague in the Netherlands, was seized after analysis of relevant evidence by opposition groups and other sources.
“Impunity cannot continue and justice must be done. Lithuania has taken the first step, but we urge others to join us in what is essential for justice to prevail,” said Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the main opponent of the regime in power in Belarus who has been living in Vilnius since 2020, welcomed this initiative.
“The crimes committed by this regime, from forced deportations to illegal arrests and torture, cannot go unpunished. Lithuania’s courage gives us hope that the world is finally holding the regime accountable for its atrocities,” she wrote on X.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya recalled that 300,000 Belarusians have been forced to flee since 2020, the date of the last elections in the country, following the harsh repression against members of the opposition.