Pavel Latushka: Deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Head of the Anti-Crisis Management, Ambassador
The 22nd Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, which is one of the most significant events in the work of the International Criminal Court, concluded last week at the UN headquarters in New York. It is important to note that this is the same International Criminal Court that issues arrest warrants for international criminals.
This Assembly is of utmost importance for civil society and experts involved in the fight against impunity for the most serious international crimes. It provides them with an opportunity to observe the interaction between States and the Court, express their views, and draw attention to the most severe situations involving such crimes.
The National Anti-Crisis Management made every effort to ensure that this year, the participants in the International Criminal Court Assembly were informed about the heinous crimes committed by Lukashenko and the top military-political leadership of his regime on a daily basis. The results of this work will soon become evident.
However, it is crucial to recognize that achieving maximum results requires much more effort and the unification of all forces within Belarusian civil society. Unity is what we truly need.
Currently, there is a problem of insufficient attention to the situation in Belarus and the international crimes being committed within our country. Key players in the field of international criminal justice are largely focused on global contexts that extend beyond the European continent. This includes the Palestinian-Israeli war, armed conflicts in Africa, the situation in Myanmar, and more. Unfortunately, even within the framework of Russia's war against Ukraine, many representatives of the international community are still unaware of or do not understand the role played by the leadership of Belarus in initiating this war and committing further crimes. As a result, the daily crimes committed against the Belarusian civilian population tend to fade from the view of the international expert community and policymakers.
What needs to be done?
The current state of affairs requires maximum mobilization and the unification of efforts from the entire Belarusian civil society to draw attention to the atrocities taking place in our country, including crimes against humanity targeting the civilian population in Belarus and war crimes against Ukrainian children. NAM is dedicated to fulfilling this task on a daily basis. It is also necessary to develop a more systematic approach to collecting facts about crimes committed in Belarus.
Democratic Belarus needs a permanent presence in the coalition of organizations that defend the ideals of international criminal justice and promote the work of the International Criminal Court, particularly regarding the responsibility of the Lukashenko regime for the crimes committed.
It is important to remember that the absence of Belarus among the parties to the Rome Statute does not mean that the mechanism of the International Criminal Court is inaccessible to address Lukashenko's crimes. In their atrocities, the Belarusian dictator and representatives of his regime have gone far beyond the borders of Belarus. Today, there is no doubt about the Court's jurisdiction over a number of crimes committed by these individuals.
The National Anti-Crisis Management will make every effort to contribute to solving these problems. Belarusian society can and should be represented in the community of states and organizations that promote justice through the International Criminal Court.