Belarus at the ICC
- Admin of the NAM
- Apr 27
- 2 min read
Why this matters and how your vote in the Coordination Council elections helps bring justice closer for Belarus
Many people know about the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague through the lens of global events. But few thought that our country would ever come under the ICC's spotlight, and that the crimes of the Lukashenko regime — which had long gone unpunished — would become the subject of scrutiny by international prosecutors.
Thanks to the systematic work of our team and our lawyers, the situation in Belarus has for the first time been officially brought before the Office of the Prosecutor in The Hague. This is not merely a "complaint" — it is the beginning of a serious legal process concerning crimes against humanity, one that leads to the issuance of arrest warrants for criminals.
Why does this matter?
The International Criminal Court is an institution that holds jurisdiction over individuals responsible for the most serious crimes, regardless of their official position. Once the mechanism is set in motion, it leads to the recognition of crimes at the global level.
ICC rulings supersede local laws. No domestic decrees or "immunities" can halt an international investigation. The status of a president or minister offers no protection in The Hague.
The inevitability of accountability. This sends a signal to all perpetrators of crimes: international justice may be slow, but it does not stop. Sooner or later, everyone will be held to account.
A legal trap for criminals. The recognition of crimes renders the top echelons of the regime unwelcome in 124 countries that have ratified the Rome Statute — not only Europe, but also much of Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
What does this have to do with the Coordination Council elections?
Elections lend a different weight to our demands. When legal work is backed by a body with a popular mandate, it enables us to advance the Belarusian question and lobby for accountability for crimes against Belarusians at the highest political level — securing political support for our legal steps from European leaders.
Our team is a key driving force behind this process. We are not merely waiting for justice — we are creating the conditions to make it inevitable.
For more on our achievements in the area of international criminal accountability of the Lukashenko regime, as well as other areas of our work, please see the recording of our press conference.
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