Pavel Latushko and the NAM team have handed over evidence of war crimes committed by Lukashenko and his accomplices to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine
During a meeting with representatives of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine at the UN headquarters in Vienna, materials regarding Lukashenko's involvement in the illegal movement of Ukrainian children to Belarus were presented.
The Commission has the authority to investigate human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law in the context of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. It aims to identify responsible individuals and organizations, provide recommendations for holding them accountable, and ensure access to justice for the victims.
The evidence provided by the NAM team will strengthen the international community's efforts to ensure accountability for the relevant war crimes.
The commission created by the UN Human Rights Council now holds the evidence of war crimes committed by Lukashenko and his accomplices. This information can be requested by investigators and courts.
The Commission submits reports on war crimes in Ukraine to the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council.
The transmitted information includes details about the transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus, which began in August 2021, as well as cases of subsequent deportation of these children to Russia for adoption or establishment of guardianship/trusteeship.
Evidence of a large-scale illegal program for transferring children from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine to Belarus, under the auspices of the Union State, from September 2022 to May 2023, was also provided.
Most of these children, aged 5 to 15 years, were orphans or came from low-income or single-parent families in the occupied regions of Ukraine. It is difficult to determine the exact number of affected settlements, but it can be inferred from indirect evidence that the removal programs affected the majority of settlements in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with more than 20 identified so far, although it is believed that there are many more.
Detailed information was provided about the main organizations involved in the illegal removal process, as well as the individuals who played a significant role in this war crime against the children.
Overall, since the full-scale invasion began, the number of illegally displaced children has exceeded 3,000, with over 2,100 cases documented from the start of the invasion until May 2023, as publicly confirmed by representatives of the regime.