News on the Work of the NAM to Hold Lukashenko Accountable

Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Representative of the Cabinet for the Transition of Power, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Leader of the "Latushka Team and the Movement 'For Freedom'" faction within the 3rd convocation of the Coordination Council.

We Are Striving for Concrete Decisions

Pavel Latushka: "There is good news regarding legal matters"

"We’ve already dismantled the emergency brake in the train with Lukashenka", said Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM), in an interview with the YouTube channel NEXTA Plus. The interview discussed steps being taken to hold Lukashenka and his close circle accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Holding Lukashenka Accountable for the Deportation of Ukrainian Children

In the interview, Pavel Latushka shared good news regarding efforts to hold the dictator Lukashenko and his representatives accountable for the deportation of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Belarus.

"Since January of this year, we have not observed the arrival of groups of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to Belarus, who were being unlawfully transferred by decision of Lukashenko for indoctrination on Belarusian territory. This indicates that the threat of international criminal accountability for the war crime of deporting Ukrainian children is having an effect on Lukashenko. He has suspended this activity. This is also thanks to the work of the National Anti-Crisis Management. We have submitted two official communications to the ICC in accordance with the procedures of the International Criminal Court", noted Pavel Latushka.

For reference: According to data established by the National Anti-Crisis Management, more than 3,500 Ukrainian children were forcibly transferred to Belarus from the occupied territories of Ukraine — Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions — by order of Lukashenko.

Special Tribunal for Aggression Against Ukraine

Pavel Latushka expressed hope that the establishment of a Special Tribunal for Aggression Against Ukraine will be officially announced on May 9.

"Just two weeks ago, I was in Strasbourg, where the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was considering a resolution on Russia’s responsibility for aggression against Ukraine. As a member of the Belarusian delegation to PACE, I proposed an amendment to add a provision to paragraph ten of the resolution regarding the responsibility of Lukashenka and his associates for committing the crime of aggression", said the NAU head in the interview.

Pavel Latushka also noted that by becoming a member of the International Criminal Court, Ukraine is obligated to implement the provisions of the Rome Statute into its national legislation. The Rome Statute defines the provision of territory for aggression, as done by the highest military-political leadership of Belarus, as an act of aggression.

What Problems Arise?

"There is an issue related to immunity. It has not yet been resolved. Perhaps we’ll find out on the 9th about a final decision. But most likely, due to their official positions, the president, prime minister, and foreign minister are formally excluded from responsibility — this is in the context of Russia. However, in Belarus — we have an usurper, and accordingly, the prime minister and foreign minister. Until they leave office, they remain under protection. Once they are no longer in these positions — they fall under the jurisdiction of the court. But for instance, Lukashenko’s Defense Minister Khrenin or the former Head of the State Border Committee Lappo, who opened the barriers on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border in February 2022, will fall under the jurisdiction of the tribunal", emphasized Pavel Latushka.

International Criminal Court

At present, the International Criminal Court is conducting a preliminary examination of the situation in Belarus.

"I do not rule out that a decision has already been made to launch an investigation into crimes against humanity committed by representatives of the Lukashenko regime against the Belarusian people. Perhaps it has not yet been formalized — I cannot say for sure. But we hope the formalization will happen soon. I won’t name specific dates, but the important thing is: the emergency brake in the train with Lukashenka has already been dismantled. If the investigation has begun, it cannot be stopped. And the evidence that has been collected — including with the help of Belarusian human rights organizations — has been submitted to the International Criminal Court. This is a huge effort, and I am grateful to those who support us in this process", stated the NAM leader.

Universal Jurisdiction

Good news: The District Court of Warsaw has effectively granted the right to prosecute Belarusian security officers for the torture of three Belarusians under Polish national legislation using the principle of universal jurisdiction.

The National Anti-Crisis Management continues cooperation with the law firm Kopeć & Zaborowski, which is assisting in 15 cases of Belarusians subjected to torture by Lukashenko’s security forces.

"I would really like to see faster progress, but we also don’t have many resources, and our capacities are limited. There will be progress under universal jurisdiction in Switzerland, I hope — in Germany and Lithuania as well. These are concrete actions", said Pavel Latushka.

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