Today, September 19, 2023, in the Swiss city of St. Gallen, a criminal trial commenced in a local court against Yury Garavsky, a former member of the Belarusian SOBR special forces unit. The legal team of the National Anti-Crisis Management and the NAM Deputy Head, Artsiom Brukhan, are in attendance at the trial. Yury Garavsky was a member of a special unit commonly referred to as the "death squad," which was involved in the elimination of Lukashenka's political opponents. He is being charged with the crime of "forced disappearance." Specifically, Yury Garavsky stands accused of forcibly abducting former Minister of Internal Affairs Yury Zakharanka, former Deputy Prime Minister Viktar Hanchar, and businessman Anatoly Krasouski between May and September 1999. This marks the first instance of a Belarusian citizen facing trial for enforced disappearance under the principle of universal jurisdiction. Additionally, it is the first time that Switzerland has utilized a special provision within its own legal framework to criminalize such acts. These developments have been made possible by Switzerland's steadfast commitment to upholding its international obligations and its willingness to employ the existing mechanisms of universal jurisdiction outlined in the 2006 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Pavel Latushka, the Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, offered his comments on Yury Garavsky's trial: "The National Anti-Crisis Management, in collaboration with our partners, is actively working to stimulate and initiate similar proceedings in Lithuania and Poland for crimes against humanity committed by representatives of the Lukashenka regime against the civilian population of Belarus since May 2020. The topic of criminal prosecution based on the principle of universal jurisdiction was a primary focus during our meetings yesterday at the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. Today's trial in Switzerland serves as a testament that justice prevails, no matter the duration. The names of those who perished under Lukashenka's orders will forever haunt the Belarusian dictator. Perhaps this process will inspire other nations to ensure justice for the thousands of victims of ongoing crimes against humanity perpetrated in Belarus over the past three years."

In his interview with DW, Pavel Latushka appeals to the West to develop a strategy regarding Belarus and hopes that they will at least indirectly recognize the Belarusian emigration cabinet. DW: Is Belarus lost for the nearest future? Pavel Latushko: I do believe in changes in Belarus. However, whether this will happen depends on many factors. An important element could be the development of a support strategy for Belarusian society, which should be created in the European Union and the United States. The absence of such a strategy leaves Belarus in the hands of Russia. The only country that has a strategy for dealing with Belarus is the Russian Federation. DW: Aren't you concerned that the democratic world is currently preoccupied with the war in Ukraine and may not be focusing on Belarus? Pavel Latushko: It is evident that the most pressing issue currently is Ukraine and the war that Russia initiated with the support of Belarus. However, if the democratic world had recognized Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as the President of Belarus in 2020 and if a democratic government had been established in Minsk, would Putin have risked aggression against Ukraine? Perhaps yes, but certainly not towards Kyiv, as this attack was launched from Belarusian territory. Therefore, in order for Ukraine to succeed and to prevent future threats, it is crucial to comprehend the role of the Lukashenka regime and take appropriate actions. What does it mean? It has been three years since Belarusians took to the streets to reject Lukashenka, oppose his dictatorship, and demand freedom. In 2020, Lukashenka ordered the shooting of protesters, resulting in fatalities. Over 60,000 Belarusians were arrested, and thousands of them were imprisoned. In 2021, he initiated a war against the EU by exploiting migrants and orchestrated the hijacking of a civilian plane belonging to Ryanair. In 2022, he ceded Belarusian territory to the Russian army to facilitate aggression against Ukraine. In 2023, he allowed nuclear weapons and the Wagner group to enter Belarus. Will the West wait for Lukashenka's next move? In a few years, neighboring countries like Poland and Lithuania may be surprised that Belarusians perceive them as enemies. Are these perceptions a result of propaganda? Yes. A powerful Russian-Belarusian media conglomerate has been established to convince Belarusians that Ukraine is an enemy. The same approach will likely be taken with Poland, transforming Belarus into a sphere of Russian influence. However, the majority of Belarusians do not desire this outcome. We seek democratization, not Lukashenka's rule. Our aspiration is to be part of Europe, not Russia. During the recent conference of Belarusian democratic forces, a resolution was adopted stating that our strategic goal is to join the European Union. While this may take time, historically, culturally, and mentally, we view ourselves as part of Europe. Undoubtedly. Unfortunately, the situation remains challenging, considering the closure of approximately 1,300 non-governmental organizations in the past two years. Political parties and independent media outlets no longer exist. Some may argue that it is because we do not fight. However, thousands of Belarusians are imprisoned, and Lukashenka continues to detain more individuals each day, with Belarusians being sentenced to lengthy prison terms, even up to 20-25 years. While changes in Belarus ultimately depend on us, the Belarusian people, it is difficult to envision swift progress without international support, as was the case with Poland during the first Solidarity movement. And do you anticipate receiving such support from the West? The West must demonstrate its strength and readiness to fight for democracy and freedom. Dictators only understand the language of force. Therefore, the strategy must address the issue of holding the regime accountable for its crimes. Lukashenka is suspected of committing three of the most serious international crimes: aggression against neighboring countries, war crimes including the deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied territories, and crimes against humanity. Working alongside our Lithuanian partners, we have gathered evidence concerning 136,000 victims of crimes against humanity in Belarus. The only crime Lukashenka has not yet committed is genocide. How should the West respond? There should be strong sanctions, ones that are not as weak as they currently are, and most importantly, they should not differ from the measures imposed on Russia in relation to Belarus. Lukashenka's behavior allows him to transform Belarus into a hub for smuggling goods to the east. Imports into Belarus are still increasing, with the majority of these goods ultimately going to the Russian Federation. What kind of sanctions against Belarus could put a halt to this situation? The sanctions should be robust, targeting the financial system and halting trade. It is crucial to weaken the economic structure of Belarus in a way that brings the Lukashenka regime to its knees. I speak as someone responsible for sanctions policy in the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus. The West can demand the release of political prisoners, as there are thousands of them, and many are dying. On July 11, artist Ales Pushkin passed away after being transferred from prison to a hospital due to the lack of medical care provided in prison. Lukashenka has prohibited the provision of medical assistance to political prisoners, and this is a terrible tragedy. However, the global press seldom covers these issues. What will happen to the Wagnerites who were brought to Belarus? There are still several hundred mercenaries from the Wagner Group present in Belarus. Based on the information we have received, some of them have left the service, some have signed contracts in Russia, and others have been dispatched to Africa to carry out orders from the Kremlin. The remaining individuals have entered into agreements with the Ministry of Defense of Belarus and the private security company GardService, which was established in 2019 by Lukashenka's decree. However, due to the restriction that foreign citizens cannot serve in the military or private security companies, Lukashenka has issued Belarusian passports to them. What are your thoughts on the border fence? I view it as a tactical decision rather than a strategic one. As a diplomat, I understand that every country must prioritize its security. However, we must also consider the need for a strategy that will guide Belarus towards becoming a democratic nation. Once that goal is achieved, the necessity for a border fence will diminish. If not, there is a risk that in a few years, aggression may be directed towards neighboring countries such as Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, or even Ukraine. Currently, the latter scenario seems more likely. Present-day Belarus is an entirely totalitarian country. Even its own culture is being dismantled. The September repertoire of the Yanka Kupala National Theater, which I previously directed, now includes only one performance in the Belarusian language. All the others are in Russian. This theater has always exclusively staged performances in the national language of Belarusians. Changes are also being planned in the field of education. A new narrative is being constructed, suggesting that we have always been aligned with Russia. But this is untrue! We were part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and we were the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This is our history. What about passports? Lukashenka has signed a decree stating that Belarusian citizens residing abroad will no longer be able to apply for new passports at consular offices. Once their old passports expire, they will be required to return to Belarus to obtain new ones. It is crucial to remember that after the protests in 2020, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians fled to countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Germany. For them, returning to Belarus could result in imprisonment. Lukashenka has established a special commission to investigate their cases. A prerequisite for obtaining a new passport will undoubtedly be a written confirmation recognizing Lukashenka as the president and a request for mercy. Will passport applicants be required to comply with these conditions? Yes. Lukashenka has publicly stated on numerous occasions, "On your knees! Get on your knees and ask for forgiveness, ask for mercy!" And now he intends to implement this scenario. Many Belarusians, understandably, will choose not to return to the country, which poses a significant challenge for our EU partners in terms of how to handle the situation of hundreds of thousands of Belarusians whose documents have expired. We have a solution. As a government in exile, we have already developed a new passport for Belarus, which has been reviewed by the European Commission and the Commissioner for Migration Policy. However, the approval of our passport lies in the hands of national governments such as Germany, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, and others. We urge them to recognize this document. Could government recognition come first? Recognition of our passport would, in effect, signify recognition of the Transitional Cabinet. Not directly, but it would still be a precedent on a European scale. It seems to have been forgotten that in the past half-century, no leader in Europe has expelled such a large number of their own citizens from the country. This is a form of political cleansing. My Belarus is disappearing before our eyes, and the West remains silent. Was the transitional cabinet established as a government in exile? And if so, did it seek recognition from other countries? This is a complex matter because the condition for recognizing a government is having control over the country it represents, or at least a portion of it. However, during the Second World War, there were eight recognized governments in exile in London, including Poland. Our situation is different. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was elected as the president of the country but was unable to assume her duties as Lukashenka forced her to flee abroad. The West encounters difficulties in recognizing the government it formed as the legitimate representative of Belarusian society. Of course, we are constantly in discussions with our partners regarding this issue. Perhaps recognition will occur gradually, such as through the acknowledgment of our passports. It is important to establish as many factual elements as possible to support our cause. Thank you very much. Aureliusz M. Pędziwol Interview taken on September 6, 2023 at the XXXII Economic Forum in Karpacz.

Dozens of athletes — officers of the Belarusian armed forces and secret service personnel of the Lukashenko regime — may attend the Olympic Games in Paris Theses by Pavel Latushka, deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet, head of the National Anti-Crisis Management for the panel discussion "Dissident athletes in international sports competitions — how athletes who challenged non-democratic regimes can represent their country". 2nd European Congress of Sport and Tourism, Zakopane, 27 September 2023 1. Belarusian society is very different from Russian society. In Belarus — the majority is against Lukashenko and against the war in Ukraine. In Russia — the majority is in favour of Putin and for the war in Ukraine. 2. At the same time, Russia has not even seen the scale of repressions, in which Belarusians have been living for the 3rd year already. 3. And here I would like to point out that behind this NO, the athlete meets double discrimination. 4. On the one hand, such a dissident athlete is discriminated against by the regime itself — he is excluded from national teams, dismissed, included in blacklists for work (now a particularly sensational case with such lists in football), imprisoned. 5. On the other hand, an athlete is excluded from international sport by the international federation itself. Depending on the specifics of the sport, the federation excludes the dissident athlete either because he is a citizen of Belarus or because the national federation does not include him in the participation lists. 6. On the other hand, an athlete is excluded from international sport by the international federation itself. Depending on the specifics of the sport, the federation excludes the dissident athlete either because he is a citizen of Belarus or because the national federation does not include him in the participation lists. 7. Based on either the passport feature or the representation of the national federation 8. What we are talking about here. It is about the fact that some international federations apply an absolute ban on the participation of athletes from Belarus. 9. Others, on the contrary, allow, ATTENTION, on lists from the national federations of Belarus, athletes from Belarus, but under the neutral or official flag of Belarus (for example, combat sports) to competitions. 10. In such a situation, it turns out that a Belarusian dissident athlete is not protected in any way. He is outside the system of his national sport and, as a result, outside the system of international sport. When trying to protect the interests of such an athlete, we, as his representatives, often receive refusals from international federations to consider our requests for the athlete's participation, because we, ATTENTION, are not representatives of the national federation. 11. Hence, it follows that the requests of the national federation, for example, of kickboxing and Muay Thai of Belarus, which is headed by the notorious Karayev, are subject to consideration by the international federation. But the requests of representatives of democratic forces, as well as the dissident athlete himself, are not. Recall that Karayev, being the Minister of Internal Affairs, was included in the sanctions of the EU and the United States for the quote "ongoing campaign of repression and intimidation in 2020, in particular illegal arrests and ill-treatment, including torture of peaceful protesters, as well as intimidation and use of force against journalists» 12. And here the Kickboxing Federation is not an isolated case, where a person from military structures or a person recognised as Lukashenko's wallet is in a leading position. For example, we can recall the Federation of mini-football of Belarus, which is headed by Khomenko Siarhei, the so-called major-general, who is now the Minister of Justice and liquidates the remaining representatives of civil society in Belarus, for example, now it is in the liquidation of the NGO Children of Chernobyl. Earlier still as Deputy Minister of Interior Khomenko was placed on the EU sanctions list for a quote "ongoing campaign of repression and intimidation in 2020, in particular illegal arrests and ill-treatment, including torture". One can cite the example of Alexei Aleksin, included in the US and EU sanctions as Lukashenko's purse strings. Aleksin is a member of the board of trustees of the Charitable Tennis Development Fund, initiated by former head of the Belarusian Tennis Federation Alexander Shakutin. At the same time, Shakutin is also under EU sanctions as Lukashenko's purse. 13. At the same time, in 2020, the IOC established that a Belarusian athlete can be admitted to international starts regardless of the national federation, if his sporting achievement corresponds to the level of competition. But this admission system never worked. What we are suggesting, to apply the experience of Poland in admitting athletes from Belarus and Russia, namely to admit an athlete who has a clearly expressed civil anti-war position; who has no funding from the Belarusian/Russian authorities or affiliated persons; who has a neutral status (ban on the use of state symbols) add the criterion of no affiliation with military structures, which is set by the IOC. We have compiled a list that already includes more than 150 athletes and functionaries affiliated with militaria. The list will be passed on to both the IOC and the federations. However, we are concerned about a certain passivity of the IOC and federations in checking athletes for their affiliation with security agencies. This may lead to the fact that a delegation of athletes-officers of the Belarusian security services, for example, in the number of 10/20 people, will come to Paris for the Olympics. to allow admission of Belarusian dissident athletes to international starts directly (without an application from the national federation), on the basis of the sporting principle 14. The said system makes it impossible for athletes who maintain the regime to participate and at the same time allows for the restoration of the rights of dissident athletes to participate in starts. 15. The said system makes it impossible for athletes who maintain the regime to participate and at the same time allows for the restoration of the rights of dissident athletes to participate in starts. 16. In addition, we believe it is important to pay attention to: initiation of the IOC procedure to suspend the recognition of the NOC of Belarus in the context of ongoing repression and war crimes of Lukashenko, using national sports institutions, functionaries and athletes-propagandists in this process using the mechanism of restrictive measures/sanction visa policy to prevent propagandist athletes, militarised athletes from travelling to democratic countries. Using the mechanism of restrictive measures against national federations.

What does it mean that the dictator intends to increase compulsory labor for state-funded students to 7 years and introduce labor for paid students? The other day, the "honored teacher" of Belarus Lukashenka convened a large meeting on education issues. One of the topics discussed was the mandatory placement of students, including those who pay for their studies. As if anticipating the alarming issue of professional outflow in Belarus, the dictator stated that the current periods of mandatory placement of students who graduate from universities are insufficient and need to be extended to 5 or even 7 years, not only for students who receive stipends from the state, but also for those who pay for the studies. Echoing him, Education Minister, Mr. Ivanets, mentioned that this issue is under study and control, and changes have already been made to the Education Code. Both the dictator and the minister also claimed that there is no paid education in Belarus and that students in paid education study for minimal fees compared to the conditions in the West. There is strong doubt that parents of students in Belarusian universities today share this opinion. It is well understood that the average salary in Belarus is far from the average salary in neighboring European countries like Poland and Lithuania, which are around 1,500 euros and 2,000 euros respectively. However, the dictator and his minister justify the idea of introducing mandatory requirements for paid education. For state-funded students, the current mandatory service of 2 years is planned to be increased to 7 years. This is explained by the fact that young specialists who complete their 2-year mandatory distribution often quit. Teachers and doctors are cited as examples, as they are under the dictator's control. Let's consider how much young Belarusian secondary school teachers earn on average today. On average, they earn 450-650 rubles (200$ roughly) after tax per transaction. Do you have any further questions about the situation faced by young professionals? Instead of creating normal, humane conditions with fair wages and opportunities for development, the dictator proposes to essentially make them slaves for 5-7 years. It is evident that this proposal will not affect the children of officials and deputies, who often evade mandatory distribution without facing consequences. Those who can be returned will naturally use their connections to do so. It is difficult to fathom the demotivating effect these plans have on future students and their parents. Some students have just started their academic year or have just entered their first year. However, anything can be expected from the regime, and the "Recommendations for changes to the Education Code" may well impact students who are already undergoing training. So, how many students now decide to enroll in Belarusian universities? How many are considering withdrawing their applications? Unfortunately, the answer can be predicted. This is the most terrible news for Belarus and its intellectual capital. While some talented youth with language skills and financially capable parents may choose to study in Europe, what about the rest? I fear the answer is Russia. Over the years, Russia has been attracting intellectual capital from Belarus, and now, thanks to Lukashenka, this process can be put on a larger scale. This will result in the destruction of our elite and talented youth. This is indeed destruction because what awaits Belarusian students in Russian universities? Russification, the influence of Russian propaganda, re-education, and the erasure of national identity. I reiterate: Lukashenka's decision on mandatory distribution not only has short-term consequences but also leads to a disaster for our country in the medium term. With this decision, Lukashenka is not stopping the brain drain in Belarus but actually initiating the destruction of higher education and the future intellectual elite of the nation. It does not matter whether he does this consciously or not; this is another example of how an inadequate dictator is dragging our country into the "Russian world" and depriving Belarus of its future. What should we do? This is a significant challenge for all of us. A lasting solution would be to eliminate the Lukashenka regime in Belarus. The majority of young people and their parents desire a decent future for their children and their country, and they wholeheartedly agree with this. It is also a serious challenge for democratic forces and our partners. Regardless of whether this regime lasts for another year or more (less is better, of course), we need universities in Europe now more than ever. We must and will fight for the youth, fight for our national elite, because national education and a national university are among the most important concerns for Belarus.

Unofficial Kremlin propaganda rushed to deny information about the transit of power in Belarus and its conditions, which became one of the main topics of the meeting between Putin and Lukashenko in Sochi. This only confirms what we said. Meanwhile, the plan itself to replace Lukashenko has long been launched and is being implemented. These are amendments to the Constitution pushed through by the Kremlin and the active development of a pro-Russian pseudo-civil society in Belarus under the patronage of Rossotrudnichestvo, as well as the harmonization of the party systems of Russia and Belarus, resulting in the remaining parties being clones of Russian ones. What does all this mean? The fact is that the Kremlin is actively preparing a transit scenario precisely for the moment when Belarus enters the period of electoral campaigns, the first of which – the so-called parliamentary and local elections – aims to completely occupy the "parliament" and local councils with pro-Russian forces represented by candidates from clone parties, primarily Belaya Rus. Based on this, we can predict that the next stage will be the formation of the so-called Supreme National Assembly, where the majority of seats will also be occupied by pro-Russian delegates. Is it worth reminding that, as a result of changes to the Constitution, it is the Supreme Council that has the right to impeach Lukashenko? That is, Lukashenko may not "survive" until the presidential elections. And the chair of the chairman of the Supreme National Assembly in the emerging configuration, contrary to Lukashenko's hopes, essentially turns into a nominal one. Nazarbayev's scenario has actually been prepared for Lukashenko, and he understands this. But he can hardly resist this in any way. Everything looks the other way around - with his own hands, he helps this scenario come true. After all, it was he who practically destroyed and brought to naught any forms of civil society in Belarus. It was he who liquidated the Belarusian independent media, political parties, rewrote the Constitution, signed all union programs and a common military doctrine with Russia within the framework of the so-called "union state." It was he who dragged Belarus into the war against Ukraine, placed Russian nuclear weapons in our country, put it on a war footing, and almost completely merged the Belarusian economy with the Russian one. It was Lukashenko who opened the gates to Belarus wide open to the "Russian world," hoping that these "merits" would be credited to him. And yes, all these actions of Lukashenko, which cannot be called anything other than high treason and national betrayal, really allowed him to stay in power with the help of Russia. Power is all that interests this character, and this is what played a cruel joke on him. After all, it is precisely the thirst for power and the willingness to do anything for it that ultimately make Lukashenko unreliable in the eyes of the Kremlin, which cannot take risks, especially now, when the front is crumbling, and the CSTO allies are already sitting down at the table with Biden and even conducting joint exercises with the United States, like Armenia. However, the Kremlin's intention to remove Lukashenko and replace him with a new puppet are still two different tasks. And if they are quite capable of coping with the first one, then neither the democratic forces, nor the people, nor our international partners will allow them to place a Moscow protege on the throne. Both Lukashenko and the Kremlin's "preparations" do not and will not have either support, recognition, or legitimacy, no matter what combinations they try to play out. Belarus is not Russia and will never become one. The future of Belarus is in Europe. And Russia's imperial projects, the same CSTO, are already beginning to fall apart before our eyes.

Original article: lemonde.fr Minsk, with the aid of the Belarusian Red Cross, has brought more than 2,150 minors into its territory since the invasion of Ukraine, claiming to be offering them 'respite' By Faustine Vincent Russia is not alone in forcibly transferring Ukrainian children to its territory. Less well known is the fact that Belarus, Moscow's number-one ally in the war in Ukraine, also engages in this illegal practice, which could constitute a war crime. More than 2,150 Ukrainians aged between 6 and 15 living in Russian-occupied areas have been deported to Belarus since the Russian invasion in February 2022, according to official Belarusian documents and statements, consulted by Le Monde, and leaks compiled by Belarusian opposition politician Pavel Latushko, who was sentenced in March to eighteen years in prison in absentia in Minsk after a sham trial. A former member of the regime, Latushko submitted evidence of Belarus' involvement in these forced displacements to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on June 27. In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, for organizing the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko too could eventually be the subject of an arrest warrant. On September 13, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning "the illegal transfer of more than 2,150 children, including orphans, from Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine to so-called recreation camps in Belarus, where they are subjected to Russification and indoctrination". The European Parliament said that "Alexander Lukashenko is as responsible for these war crimes as Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova," and called on the ICC to "issue a similar international arrest warrant for" the Belarusian leader. The Minsk regime makes no secret of these forced transfers. On the contrary, it claims that they are "humanitarian" operations designed to offer respite to war-torn children. In August, Lukashenko publicly acknowledged his direct involvement, in close collaboration with Russia. "We agreed with Vladimir Putin that we would finance these trips from the state budget of the Union [a treaty linking Russia and Belarus]," he said. "We have done so and will continue to do so without worrying about any reproach." Belarus, which has served as a rear base for Russian troops since the invasion of Ukraine, boasted that it had brought in "over a thousand children" in the spring. On Tuesday, September 19, a group of 48 Ukrainian children arrived from the occupied regions of Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. Images broadcast by the official press show them thanking the authorities, red and green Belarusian flags in hand, flanked by riot police. Field trips to military units Back in April, newspapers reported enthusiastically on the arrival, "thanks to Alexander Lukashenko's instructions," of 350 children from the Donbas region, transported by train to Minsk "to recover" in the Dubrava camp near the capital. "There will be plenty of meetings and entertainment," boasted the Belarus Today article. "The most important thing is that every child remembers his or her childhood as it should be – calm, interesting and happy." In fact, the program can be summed up in three words: indoctrination, militarization and Russification. Children attended a concert by the Grudzdev sisters, Belarusian pop singers and Kremlin propagandists. A video of their performance shows the duo on stage, all smiles, calling for the American and Ukrainian presidents, Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky, to "die" in order to "live in peace," and for "Putin to prosper and take control of the whole of Ukraine''. A field trip was also organized to the Lynx military club of unit no 3214 of the Ministry of the Interior, known for its brutal repression of peaceful protests following the fraudulent re-election of Lukashenko in 2020. The children took part in shooting workshops and watched demonstrations of military equipment and hand-to-hand combat. The majority of these Ukrainians return to the occupied territories at the end of their stay in Belarus, but some are sent to Russia, according to Latushko. He says that he has proof that "orphans who stayed in Belarus were then adopted in Russia". At least six camps have been identified in the country, including three in the Minsk region. The largest of these is Dubrava, owned by the state-owned company Belaruskali, one of the world's largest fertilizer producers and exporters. Its director, Ivan Golovaty, is one of the key players in these forced transfers. In September 2022, the company announced on its website that it was taking in "1,050 children aged 6 to 15". This is presented as humanitarian action and relayed unabashedly under the banner of "help for Ukrainian children". Travel is organized by the charitable foundation of Belarusian Paralympic athlete Aleksei Talai, which has publicly stated that it is working in cooperation with the Belarusian authorities. Belarusian Red Cross involvement Despite this accrued evidence, Lukashenko's role in the deportation of Ukrainian children has remained largely unknown since the start of the war. "The problem is that our Western partners are focused on Russian aggression," said Latushko. "It's very strange, they seem to have forgotten about Belarus, while Lukashenko is a co-aggressor and has let Putin use the country to attack Ukraine." What's even more disturbing is that the Belarusian Red Cross, the country's largest charity, has claimed to be actively involved in these forced transfers. Interviewed in July by the state broadcaster Belarus 1 from the occupied Ukrainian city of Lyssychansk, the head of this humanitarian organization, Dmitry Shevtsov, said that "the Belarusian Red Cross has taken, is taking and will take an active part" in these transfers of children to Belarus in order, he said, to enable them "to forget the horrors of war" and "to rest". A few weeks earlier, the head of the Belarusian Red Cross had been filmed in the occupied territories wearing camouflage with the letter "Z" on his arm – the Russian symbol of support for the war in Ukraine. His statement caused a scandal. Aware of the potential damage to its reputation, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) expressed its "deep concern". It said it had "learned of this visit and these activities through the media," which were "in contradiction with its humanitarian mission" and its duty of neutrality. The humanitarian organization has launched an investigation, the findings of which are expected in October. It has also called on Shevtsov to step aside until then. To no avail: he was re-elected as head of the Belarusian Red Cross at a session of the organization's XXVIth congress, held on September 7 in Minsk, to decide his case. When contacted, the IFRC, which has 191 branches worldwide, made no secret of its embarrassment but refused to comment while the investigation was underway. It explained that national Red Cross organizations each have their "own legal status" and that it "neither supervises nor controls their operations".

Stop holding money on the card and switch to cash — this is the simplest thing anyone can do to resist the dictatorship We continue the series of videos about the economic pressure on the regime and the protection of our savings. In previous videos, we discussed in detail the 2 terms of the #ATMExchangeBank formula: "Exchanger" and "Bank". Today we will talk about the "ATM" and fix our strategy of economic protest. — Why is it the healthiest financial habit in a dictatorship to take a salary on the day of receipt and not keep money on a bank card? — Vote with the ruble: another affordable way to protest against the Lukashenka’s crimes. — Our general strategy of economic protest: 1) we do not change the currency, but buy and save; 2) we withdraw deposits and do not open new ones; 3) we constantly cash out accounts and make payments only in rubles. Refusal to support the Lukashenka regime is another cross that we will put together on the dictatorship! *We also recommend watching: Not a cent for Lukashenka: how to protect your savings? 2022: The Year of the Big Robbery of the Belarusians

Responsibility of the Lukashenka regime for crimes against humanity in Belarus Today, July 26, 2023, our partner, the Center for Law and Democracy Justice Hub published report on crimes against humanity in Belarus and mechanisms for bringing perpetrators to justice. The National Anti-Crisis Managment provided all possible support to the Center for Law and Democracy in this work. Pavel Latushka, Head of the NAM, in connection with the publication of the report, noted the following: “the report actually substantiates the fulfillment of the criterion of international criminal law “that there are sufficient grounds to believe” that unlawful imprisonment, torture, murder, rape , enforced disappearances, political persecution, and deportation in the context of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Belarus from May 2020 to the present, constitute crimes against humanity. The report emphasizes that this attack on the civilian population is the state policy of the Lukashenka regime. Special attention is paid to the main perpetrators of these crimes. Among them are representatives of the power structures of Belarus (OMON, KGB, GUBOPiK and others), as well as judges, prosecutors, the top political leadership of the regime, including the dictator himself. Of particular value are the chapters devoted to the mechanisms of bringing the perpetrators to justice. This report certainly makes a significant contribution to the work of restoring justice for tens of thousands of victims of these crimes. The NAM has already initiated the implementation of the ideas contained in the report to bring to justice the perpetrators of these crimes.

On September 18, Pavel Latushka had a meeting in Vilnius with the Deputy Minister of Justice of Lithuania Gabij Grikarte-Daugirde. The main topic of the meeting:bringing the Lukashenko regime to justice for crimes against humanity committed against the Belarusian people. The Lithuanian side was presented with the report “Crimes against humanity in Belarus”, prepared by the Justice Hub Center for Law and Democracy with the support of NAM. According to the report, from May 2020 to May 2023, at least 136 thousand people became victims of these crimes in Belarus. During the meeting, legal mechanisms for holding representatives of the Lukashenko regime accountable for committing one of the most serious international crimes were discussed. During the meeting, it was noted that the following legal international mechanisms of responsibility could be used: international criminal court criminal prosecution within the framework of national justice of Lithuania for crimes committed on the territory of Belarus (universal jurisdiction) special tribunal for Belarus. The issues of ensuring the responsibility of the Lukashenko regime for violation of international obligations to Lithuania within the framework of the International Court of Justice (for organizing illegal migration) were discussed separately. The head of the NAM also presented information about new facts of war crimes committed by the Lukashenko regime against Ukrainian children. Pavel Latushka and Gabia Grikaite-Daugirde discussed the prospects for creating a tribunal for aggression committed against Ukraine and bringing Lukashenko and his accomplices to international responsibility for the act of aggression. On the same day, Pavel Latushka met with the Director of the Department of Eastern Neighborhood Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Darius Vitkauskas. The purpose of the meeting is interaction on issues of international legal responsibility of the Lukashenko regime. It was noted that Lukashenko and his regime committed 3 of the 4 most serious international crimes: crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression. Special attention was paid to the possible closure of checkpoints on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border in the event of further escalation by the regime of the situation with the use of illegal migrants. Economic and personal sanctionsagainst the Lukashenko regime by the EU and national sanctions of Lithuania became one of the key topics of the meeting. Pavel Latushka noted thatthe introduction of a trade embargois one of the most significant instruments of pressure on the regime in order to release political prisoners. As possible additional sanctions tools, the deputy head of the defense industry also named: Introduction of trade quotas. Freeze of correspondent bank accounts. Introduction of liability for circumventing sanctions. Expansion of sectoral sanctions. Personal sanctions against judges of the Lukashenko regime. The issue of legalization of Belarusian citizens in Lithuania and recognition of the New Belarus passport was also the subject of a meeting at the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry. Separately, Pavel Latushka drew the attention of his partners to the fact that Lukashenko’s NOC and sports federations continue to violate the rights of athletes by implementing a policy of discrimination and ideological filtering. Sports officials and persons associated with them are involved in crimes, incl. military. These circumstances cannot be ignored when making decisions on the participation of athletes from Belarus in international competitions and the 2024 Olympic Games. Pavel Latushka raised the issue of restoring the rights of Belarusian freestyle athletes who have a confirmed civic position against dictatorship and military aggression. I informed my partners that among the political prisoners there are representatives of national sports. «The system for regulating relations in international sports demonstrates its archaic nature and inability to effectively respond to challenges. We need to act decisively and principledly, seconds and meters are not worth human lives,” said Pavel Latushka.

On September 14, an information and consultation center for Belarusian business opened in Gorzów Wielkopolski. The deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus and the head of the NAM Pavel Latushka spoke at the opening. One of the issues that was discussed during Pavel Latushka’s trip to Gorzow Wielkopolski in June of this year was establishing connections between local authorities and entrepreneurs on the one hand, and representatives of Belarusian business on the other, in order to inform the latter about support programs and rules of doing business. The idea of creating a single source of information on this issue, as well as an educational and advisory service, was also expressed. This would significantly simplify the activities of Belarusian entrepreneurs and artisans. And now such an information and consultation center has been created in the Lubuskie Voivodeship. We believe this could become a good example for other regions of Poland. This center will become a place to attract active Belarusians who will strive to start or continue their business in this western province of Poland. Pavel Latushko began his speech with an excerpt from the novel “Above the Neman” by the outstanding Polish writer, native of Belarus, Eliza Orzeszko. The novel takes place after the suppression of the January 1863 uprising common to Poles and Belarusians. The tsarist authorities persecuted the rebels, fought against local culture and religion, adopted discriminatory legislation against local natives, deprived them of their property and forced them to leave their native lands. After 160 years, Belarusians again faced a similar problem. About 500 thousand of our citizens are forced to leave their homeland due to repression and persecution, thousands of Belarusians are imprisoned for political reasons, punitive illegitimate authorities are preparing to deprive Belarusians of citizenship and property. Most of the Belarusians who left the country ended up in Poland. They want to legally work, study, pay taxes, develop their business and contribute to the economic development of Poland, which is open to immigrants from Belarus. Only within the framework of the Poland Business Harbor program, since August 2020, more than 113 thousand visas have been issued to Belarusians. Now we are talking about expanding this visa program to other types of activities besides the IT sector. Already, Belarusian entrepreneurs and artisans are making their contribution to the Polish economy (including in the form of increased tax revenues and the creation of new jobs). Belarusian business last year set a historical record for new registrations in Poland - the number of newly opened companies in which one of the founders is a legal entity or individual from Belarus has doubled compared to 2021. In total, in Poland at the beginning of 2023, there were 4,980 businesses owned by companies and citizens from Belarus. At the same time, from January 2022 to the end of June 2023, almost 12 thousand citizens of Belarus registered in Poland as individual entrepreneurs. The total number of Belarusian citizens working in Poland is also growing. In July of this year, 122.7 thousand Belarusians made contributions to the social insurance fund in Poland. Students from Belarus are also among the three largest groups of foreigners studying at universities in Poland. At the same time, the general situation in Belarus, both in the country as a whole and for Belarusian business in particular, is only getting worse. The number of individual entrepreneurs in Belarus decreased by 4.2% in 2022. Their number decreased over the past year in all regions and the capital. In addition to Belarusian business, foreign capital is also suffering in Belarus. For example, the Lukashenko regime treats business from Poland, as well as business from other European countries, as business from “unfriendly” states. The number of companies with Polish capital has been steadily decreasing over the past four years(2019 – 345 companies, 2020 – 328, 2021 – 322, 2022 – 303). The illegitimate Belarusian authorities have prohibited companies with foreign capital, including Polish, from selling stocks and shares in Belarus. Therefore, capital is leaving Belarus and looking for a safe haven for investment and business development. And the Lubuskie Voivodeship can become such a harbor.

The Belarusian oppositionists are lobbying in Switzerland to toughen the position for the international prosecution of dictator Lukashenka. Responsibility here may also lie with the Swiss Red Cross Bernhard Odehnal (original article) “No, the situation has not softened,” says Uladzimir Astapenka. "Every day we hear about new arrests, every day people are tortured. And every month we hear about the death of prisoners who are denied medical care." This is Astapenka’s description of the situation in his homeland, Belarus. Until 2020, the 60-year-old diplomat served under longtime President Alexander Lukashenka. However, after Lukashenka rigged the elections and violently suppressed civil society protests, Astapenka went into exile and now represents Belarusian democratic forces in Brussels. This week, Astapenka and a small team traveled to Switzerland to highlight the fact that not only Russia, but also Lukashenka, the partner of Vladimir Putin, is disregarding human rights. “If you examine the evidence, it's all there,” says Astapenka. “The only thing lacking is the political will of the West and its determination to take action. For over two years, we have been appealing for help and urging for concrete measures.” Astapenka and his team team have brought with them a comprehensive study titled "Crimes against Humanity in Belarus." This study provides a legal analysis of the options available to the international community, particularly the International Criminal Court, to hold the Belarusian regime accountable. According to Astapenka, Belarus has become a vast prison, necessitating support for prosecuting Lukashenka at the International Criminal Court. In Switzerland, the Belarusian opposition meets with representatives of undisclosed international organizations in Zurich and Geneva. The identities of the team members are also kept confidential due to concerns about potential retaliation from the regime, as they have relatives in Belarus. Belarus is not among the 123 countries that recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. However, Belarusian experts draw attention to the precedent set by Myanmar, where victims of dictatorship sought refuge in neighboring states that recognized the court's jurisdiction. The judges in The Hague ruled that the court could exercise jurisdiction over crimes committed within Myanmar itself. The Belarusian opposition believes that this decision could apply to Belarus as well, given that most of Lukashenka’s victims have sought refuge in Poland or the Baltic countries. Uladzimir Astapenka cites the case of Natallia Hersche, a citizen of Belarus and Switzerland, who spent nearly a year and a half in a Belarusian prison for participating in a protest, enduring psychological and physical torture. According to Astapenka, Hersche's release enables her to serve as a witness in the International Criminal Court. Astapenka adds, “And there are at least three victims of Lukashenka’s repressions who were able to escape to Switzerland.” Democratic forces argue that another reason for international intervention in Lukashenka’s actions is the movement of Ukrainian children to Belarus. They have established evidence that children from occupied territories in Ukraine were relocated to special camps with the aim of molding them into “loyal Russian citizens” and subsequently being put up for adoption by Russian parents. There is substantial documentary evidence supporting these claims. Consequently, the International Criminal Court has issued an international arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and his Commissioner for Children's Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. However, the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka is also implicated in these abductions of children from Ukraine. Astapenka notes that it began before the war, citing the example of approximately 40 children taken from orphanage No. 1 in Donetsk in August 2021. These children were subjected to Russian indoctrination for several weeks before being sent back to the occupied territory and subsequently to Russia. Evidence suggests that these children may be adopted by Russian parents. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the alleged abductions of Ukrainian children occurred in multiple waves. Astapenka mentions that around 2,100 boys and girls aged 6 to 15 years were subjected to indoctrination in Lukashenka’s Belarus for two or three weeks. The next transportation of children is planned for September. Astapenka emphasizes, “Ukrainian children are being taken from the occupied territories to Belarus. This is a war crime.” The Lukashenka regime presents the abductions as a “humanitarian action in favor of the victims of war,” while the opposition dismisses this as a lie. Uladzimir Astapenka states, “Instead of medical care, children receive lectures from Russian propagandists and Orthodox priests.” It appears that the Belarusian Red Cross was also involved in these deportations. This grave accusation has a witness, the head of the Belarusian Red Cross Dzmitry Shautsou, who confirmed in a television interview that his organization was involved in the abductions. He speaks of a “rehabilitation” in which the Belarusian Red Cross has participated and will continue to participate. In response, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, based in Geneva, expressed “deep concern” regarding the position of its member. Opposition representative Uladzimir Astapenka also believes that the Swiss Red Cross has certain obligations. Historically, it has been one of the largest sponsors of the Belarusian partner organization. Astapenka states, “We want to be sure that this money was not used to finance human rights violations.” A representative from the Swiss Red Cross confirmed that a budget of one million francs had been allocated for Belarus over the past four years, with an additional 130,000 francs provided for 2023. This funding was intended for the joint project with the Belarusian Red Cross called “Care and care services for elderly and vulnerable people at home.” Regardless of the ongoing events, the Swiss Red Cross has already decided to withdraw from Belarus in 2024. During this visit, the Belarusian opposition did not have direct contact with the Swiss Red Cross. However, Uladzimir Astapenka emphasizes that the work of convincing international organizations is just beginning and expresses hope that “Switzerland will also help us bring Lukashenka to the international court.”

Speech by Pavel Latushka at the ceremony of awarding the medal "75 Years of Jan Karski Mission" to Andrzej Paczobut Dear Mr. Stanislav Paczobut and Mr. Marshalak, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honor for me to have the opportunity to speak to you today here in the city of Lublin. This city holds historical significance as the birthplace of the close relationship between our peoples, the Belarusian and Polish, where our civilizational ties were forged. The Union of Lublin provided the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the means to withstand the threat from the east, namely the Principality of Moscow. For centuries, this eastern threat has sought to destroy the Belarusian people and our statehood. With the support of Russia in 2020, dictator Lukashenko managed to remain in power, and since then, he has subjected the citizens of Belarus to more than three years of repression. Presently, Belarus has over 1,519 political prisoners (and those are official numbers), arrests occur daily in various cities across the country. These actions are accompanied by violence and torture. Between May 2020 and May 2023 alone, there have been 136,000 recorded victims of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape. Andrzej Paczobut is one of those individuals whom the Lukashenka regime seeks to break. To the Belarusian people, he is a hero, and to the Polish people, he is a hero as well. He is our shared hero, symbolically uniting us in the fight against dictatorship and tyranny. He exemplifies resilience and integrity, sacrificing his freedom, health, and even risking his life to fight for ideals, even from behind bars. Such sacrifice is the mark of a truly strong and courageous individual. I express my deepest respect for the brave acts of Andrzej Paczobut. I am convinced that we can secure the release of all political prisoners, including the hero of our two nations, Andrzej Paczobut, who serves as an example of integrity and dedication to the ideals of human rights and democracy for Western politicians. However, we require the support of the international community to accomplish this. Today, Poland has become a second home for hundreds of thousands of Belarusians, and we are grateful to Poland and the Polish people for the opportunity to live and work here. We will never forget this. Just as we remember the heroic victory of the troops of Kanstantsin Astrozhskiover the Muscovites in the Battle of Vorsha in 1514, it is significant that the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade named after Hetman Kanstantsin Astrozhskiis stationed near Lublin. Today, Ukraine finds itself on the front line of a civilizational confrontation, with its citizens sacrificing their lives in the fight against the aggressor. It is crucial for Belarusian volunteers to stand alongside those fighting for Ukraine. By supporting and assisting them, we contribute to Ukraine's cause. Presently, the countries comprising the Lublin Triangle are Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania. However, speaking on behalf of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, I am confident that, in the historical perspective, Belarus stands united with Europe, but our foremost dependence lies on strategic partnerships with our closest neighbors: Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania. Thus, the city of Lublin may once again become synonymous with the birth of a new integration project – the Lublin Square, where Belarus assumes its position as the fourth side. I firmly believe that together we can aid Ukraine in achieving victory, liberate Belarus, and secure the freedom of Andrzej Paczobut and the thousands of political prisoners. Thank you for granting me this opportunity to deliver a speech in Lublin.