Back on March 16, the NAM made an official statement that the Republic of Belarus is an occupied territory, and the Lukashenko regime is a puppet government controlled by the Kremlin. On March 17, this position was voiced by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya during her speech at the UN Human Rights Council. On September 7th this position was stated in the decision № 1 of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus. But in spite of all these arguments, this fact still causes discussions. Specially for DW, Pavel Latushka gave a detailed comment on the official position of the democratic forces and the Cabinet. What signs of the occupation of Belarus by Russia can be distinguished? 1) The occupant (Russia) controls the occupied territory and uses it for its military purposes; 2) there are no visible signs that Lukashenko can obstruct any actions of the Russian army; 3) Russia uses the "consent" of Lukashenko's puppet government, which has no legitimacy, to cover its actions and to avoid giving Belarus the status of occupied territory; 4) the occupation began without a declaration of war - the occupier was covered by formal legal grounds (a plan of exercises, membership in the CSTO, the Union State); 5) even the formal grounds for the introduction of troops into Belarus were subsequently grossly violated (the army of the Russian Federation remained on the territory of Belarus after the end of the exercises and subsequently attacked Ukraine). These actions allow us to conclude that the Kremlin originally planned to use the territory of Belarus to invade Ukraine. Moreover, neither the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus nor its Military Doctrine provide for participation in wars of aggression. The Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborhood and Cooperation and the subsequent Treaty on the State Border between Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus were also violated; 6) at the time of the occupation, Lukashenko had de facto illegally, by force of arms, retained power in the country after losing the elections in the summer of 2020 and was not recognized by the civilized world as a legitimate president. *More information on the Russian occupation of Belarus: NAM statement on the occupation of the Republic of Belarus How Russia managed to occupy Belarus without a single shot being fired How the recognition of the occupation of Belarus will help stop Russia's aggression

Pavel Latushka, a representative of the United Transitional Cabinet for the transit of power, pointedly raised the issue of the unwillingness of European prosecutors to initiate criminal proceedings against the regime's punishers for far-fetched non-legal reasons. On October 24, the NAM organized in Warsaw an international conference "Mechanisms of universal jurisdiction in European countries. Difficulties of application and opportunities for Belarusian cases". The event was attended by lawyers, human rights activists and politicians from Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Norway and Lithuania. European authorities have been "expressing concern", "deep concern", "extremely deep concern" for 2 years now, while the counter of Lukashenko's crimes is winding up its terrible figures: more than 2600 persons involved in trumped-up cases. More than 1,500 testimonies of torture of Belarusians (only documented - as of October). How to change the situation? The reaction of the Belarusians to the criminal inaction will be a memorandum which the participants of the conference will soon approve by collective decision and pass on to all international profile agencies. This document is an attempt of representatives of thousands of victims of police brutality of the Belarusian dictatorship to achieve real results. We hope that our voice will be heard in Europe and, first of all, in the prosecutor's offices of the countries which consider themselves democratic.

A conference "Mechanisms of Universal Jurisdiction in European Countries. Difficulties of application and opportunities for the Belarusian cases". The international forum was organized by the NAM and its participants were representatives of the United Transitional Cabinet of Representatives on the transit of power Pavel Latushka and on the restoration of law and order Aliaksandr Azarau. In his report the BYPOL co-founder told about the data available to the democracies about the security forces and their victims. The BYPOL initiative and the Center for Belarusian Solidarity continue to interview Belarusians who have applied for legal assistance. Of the total number of interlocutors, 15 people fit the category of victims of torture and violence. The information and evidence obtained will replenish the common database and will be used to prepare an application to the prosecutor's office in Poland for initiation of a case under universal jurisdiction. Aliaksandr Azarau also reminded: BYPOL has all the basic information about every citizen of Belarus (from photos and passport data to information about border crossing and property), as well as internal documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including for August 2020: personnel placement, detention records, reports, reports on the use of weapons and much more. BYPOL's own developed facial recognition system, meanwhile, makes it possible to identify identities from available photos and videos. Facial masks are no problem for the program. All this information, together with the Uniform Crime Record Book (790 applications), will help identify and prosecute all those involved in crimes against Belarusians since August 2020. Sooner or later. In New Belarus or abroad. See more about working with Lithuanian and Polish prosecutors in the video.

European prosecutors are afraid to open Pandora's Box This opinion was expressed by a Norwegian human rights activist at a round table on the problems of the application of universal jurisdiction mechanisms in Oslo. The meeting was organized by experts of the National Anti-Crisis Management. During the meetings, representatives of the NAM reached an agreement with local lawyers and representatives of the Helsinki Committee to prepare materials for submission to the investigative authorities. Norwegian legal history is replete with examples of positive outcomes against criminals from the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. However, the peculiarity of these cases was that the criminals hid from justice in Norway, where they were successfully apprehended and convicted. The Belarusian case undoubtedly differs from such an ideal picture. The prosecutors are afraid to proceed with such cases and create a precedent, because no civilized country today conducts trials in absentia (in absentia). According to representatives of these structures, it is still necessary to study what this practice can lead to, as well as to develop mechanisms of its application with the involvement of international experts. But Norwegian human rights defenders, as well as their colleagues from other European countries, are convinced: the absence of the accused on the territory of the country - is not an obstacle to the institution of criminal proceedings at the request of the victim and the announcement of the offender in the international wanted list. If you suffered from violence at the hands of Lukashenko's regime and live in Norway or any other country — contact us through the NAU chat-bot: @nau_by_bot. *The NAM team would like to thank the Belarusians in Norway for their help in organizing meetings.

NAM lawyer Artsiom Praskalovich on the deteriorating legal situation in Belarus Why does the regime intensify repressions against the Belarusians? Because the protest of the Belarusians has not "disappeared," it continues. Dissatisfaction with Lukashenko's actions lives inside the Belarusans. The loss of contacts with foreign partners, the destruction of the economy, the involvement of Belarus in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine - all this worries people and makes them act against Lukashenko's regime in one way or another. Accordingly, Lukashenko tries his best to keep the situation under control. Repressions have become simply total, maximum, absolutely senseless and groundless, so much so that even in a country where "lawlessness" no longer seeks to look into any code or legislative act, they prosecute, use violence and torture simply at their discretion and will. Should Belarusians be afraid of trials in absentia and deprivation of citizenship? People who have left Belarus should not be afraid of the very status of criminal prosecution. It is clear that these processes are not the purpose of the regime, but an instrument to deprive people of citizenship, awards, statuses, and property. While the regime has not yet launched all of these institutions that it plans to implement in full force, I would recommend taking steps to withdraw assets within Belarus to those people who understand that they may have these issues, who are very present in the public space, who really contribute the most to the fight against the regime. Deprivation of citizenship will not have any consequences for those people who are already outside of Belarus. If necessary, they will be able to apply to state bodies, obtain the appropriate status, and initiate procedures for obtaining certain documents that will allow them to move within the country and abroad when their Belarusian passports expire. As for the fact that on the basis of loss of citizenship a person will lose some benefits from the Belarusian state, it is clear that people who have been forced to leave Belarus by the regime do not need free Belarusan medicine or education. I do not see any other consequences in connection with the fact that a person will be deprived of the status of a citizen of the Republic of Belarus. At the same time, he would remain a Belarusian, and, as I think, a Belarusian with the maximum quality mark. What further actions by Lukashenko to violate the rights and freedoms of Belarusians can be expected? It is impossible to predict which articles of the Constitution and legislative acts Lukashenko will continue violating. Only one thing is clear - he will press on until the last day of his life. Because Lukashenko's only goal is to retain power, and he will stop at nothing to achieve this goal. The main thing that Belarusian society should understand is that the Lukashenko regime deprives it daily of quality education, health care, well-being, economic development, and security of citizens both inside and outside of Belarus. And the situation can only change with the change of the Lukashenko regime.

Pavel Latushka, a representative of the United Transition Cabinet of Belarus on the transfer of power, addressed the participants of the First Congress of the Belarusians in the Czech Republic with a welcoming speech. The participants were greeted by Ivonka Survila, Chairperson of the BPR Council, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Democratic Belarus, and Klara Šimáčkova-Laurenčikova, Human Rights Ombudsman of the Czech Republic. The main theses of Pavel Latushka's speech: This is a historic congress of Belarusians in exile. Belarusians, who, like their predecessors - the keepers of the BNR traditions, are turning to their roots to build a new country, relying on the heritage of the great enlightener and first printer Francysk Skaryna. The Czech Republic has become a home for Belarusians, a hospitable but temporary home. We will all surely return to Belarus - our safe, secure, untouchable and free Home, our native place. All of us are now creating the history and future of our country. But it is important not just to make, but to finally make history - to move forward in building and constructing a new, democratic and free Belarus. Alina Kovshik, a representative of the Cabinet of National Revival, experts and activists from various spheres also took part in the forum. They will report on important problems of Belarusians in the Czech Republic: from legalization problems and banking services to diaspora cooperation and political situation in Belarus and across the country. The topic of assistance to Belarusian volunteers, who are fighting in Ukraine for the territorial integrity of the country, will be discussed separately.

What will it lead to? Pavel Latushka, head of the NAM and Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, shared his thoughts on the re-entry of Russian troops into the territory of the Republic of Belarus with "MOST" At least, it will lead to widespread drunkenness, conflicts and, probably, crimes in the areas of deployment of the Russian forces. And there will be conflicts: most Belarusians do not want this war, and some have already realized: the Russians are occupying our country. There is almost no doubt: there will be not "several thousands" of Russian troops and they will never leave the country. But the tonnes of lead and TNT that will fall on the heads of the Belarusians, when the concentration of Russian forces in the country reaches values dangerous for Ukraine, will have far worse consequences. Kiev has made it clear: it does not intend to wait for a new Bucha and will nip threats in the bud. And, bitter as it is to admit, Ukraine and its people have every right to do so. After all, every day rockets launched from the territory of Belarus kill someone’s children, friends and acquaintances there. And there is no chance that Lukashenko really does not intend to open the floodgates of violence and let hordes of Russians to our neighbours who will unleash a new bloodbath there. The second scenario would bring down and destroy everything, including the centuries-old friendship of the Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples — Belarus itself would enter the war directly, turning the regime’s military co-aggression into a "ground phase". This scenario is now more real than ever. Lukashenko and his henchmen will bear full responsibility for the dire consequences of this step (including economic). The Belarusian military facing the front will be left with only a simple choice. How to avoid it? What should the world and all of us do right now? Read Pavel Latushko’s column at Most

Angelika Melnikova, NAM project coordinator, told about the work within the framework of universal jurisdiction What is the importance of round tables on universal jurisdiction? The organization of round tables in the countries where victims of torture in Belarus live is of practical significance. They are working meetings during which our experts discuss with lawyers, human rights defenders and individual activists the possibilities of cooperation and collaboration for the earliest possible acceptance of applications from Belarusians who have been subjected to violence by the security forces and other representatives of the regime. We find all those interested or experienced in the universal jurisdiction mechanism — law firms, NGOs and individual activists and politicians — and work together to develop a plan of action. In five European countries, victims are already protected by professional lawyers with such experience. How do European officials perceive the idea of bringing perpetrators of torture to justice? Lukashenko continues to demonstrate his attitude towards democratic values and freedoms. The unprecedented violence on the part of security forces has become a serious challenge to the international ideas of the civilized world about human rights and humanism. European officials support the idea of bringing the perpetrators to justice. What will happen to this project? The project will continue until all perpetrators of crimes against Belarusians are brought to justice. Thanks to the established contacts and developed mechanisms of work in different countries, we will continue to do our best to achieve justice.

Yury Hubarevich, responsible for the regional development of the NAM, answered several questions about what is happening in the regions What is the situation in the regions now? The actions of those people, who continue to illegally hold power in Belarus, have led to increased sanctions, especially against the background of participation in the war, the introduction of Russian troops and the continuation of repression. People understand it, although there are difficulties in obtaining information. Injustice is felt in everything. In Belarus today every citizen, irrespective of his/her views, has no right to speak and has no possibility to say something to his/her immediate superior. The situation in the country causes a huge outflow of skilled labor from Belarus. This is not only political migration, but also economic. How do you work with people "on the ground"? For us, first of all, it's important to have contacts with those people who are now in Belarus, to have a feedback, to know firsthand what the situation in the country is like now. Without such knowledge it is impossible to build a strategy of changes for Belarus. It is impossible to understand clearly what we can expect and to what extent the society today is ready to participate in certain political processes that are offered to it. What are priorities in your future work? We do not only monitor the situation, but also work on proposals for the future of Belarus. First of all, it is the reform of local self-government and administrative division. In democratic countries, local governments should not only be elected directly by the population, which is not the case in modern Belarus, but also take into account the needs of local residents. All this is impossible without reforms. Therefore, we are currently working on reforms as well as on forming a team to implement all this. We will tell you more about formation of the personnel reserve in the near future. This is a huge work, and we count on the activity of every Belarusian

NAM deputy head Vladzimir Astapenka spoke about the activities of democratic forces in the international arena Is Lukashenko's regime in complete international isolation? It is too early to talk about complete isolation. We understand that not all countries of the world are deeply immersed in the Belarusian agenda. But civilized countries understand that Belarus needs new legitimate authorities, they have little contact with the Lukashenko regime and build relationships with representatives of the democratic forces in Belarus. What was the purpose of creating the representation of democratic Belarus in Brussels? The mission was established last week precisely in the context of strengthening cooperation between democratic forces with international partners and creating a real alternative to the illegitimate Lukashenko regime in a situation when its foreign missions are essentially "sitting on their pants" and hiding from public meetings. The mission's task is to ensure Belarus' stable presence in the capital of Europe and do everything to make the voice of Belarusians heard in the European and world arena. What will you do in the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus as Deputy Foreign Minister? I have already started this work and am trying to help the members of the Cabinet to develop proposals on our strategy and tactics to enhance international relations, to keep the issue of Belarus on the international agenda and find new ways to increase foreign support. Obviously, such support for our efforts, for the protest of the Belarusian people is important and necessary if we are to come to our common goal in the end.

Natalya Zaderkovskaya, responsible for social and cultural issues of NAM, about the work and plans of the Museum of Free Belarus The Museum of Free Belarus has been working at the Warsaw site for three months now. I think that the beginning of the museum was good. Since the beginning, about three or four hundred people visit us every week. The museum works with the help of volunteers, to whom we are grateful for every event, for their good deeds. Our immediate plans are to develop the museum area. We are looking forward to add items to our collections and appeal to everyone who took part in the Belarusan protest, continues the struggle for a democratic Belarus, and is ready to share their personal history and items related to the Belarusan protest with the museum. We are also looking forward to projects related to the Belarusan language and national revival on our site. You can suggest this project either through the Museum of Free Belarus' Instagram or through the NAM chatbot @nau_by_bot We look forward to seeing you at the "Museum of Free Belarus" and inviting you to our events.

Valery Matskevich, an expert of the NAM and a member of the Coordination Council Representative Working Group, answered two important questions about the process of reforming the Coordinating Council How does the reforming of the Coordinating Council go? This summer, we decided to reform the Coordinating Council. Given the ongoing political struggle, it is essential that we expand the functions of this body so that the renewed Coordinating Council can fulfil its role as a representative body. In September, a working group was formed to develop a special procedure for delegating representatives from various organizations and initiatives of the democratic community, as well as freely nominated candidates. It was decided that the CC would be composed of 115 members, including: 25 acting members of the main composition of the Coordinating Council, who confirmed their credentials; 75 new delegates from democratic forces and civil society structures of Belarus; 15 freely nominated candidates, who have passed the election procedure. Please click here to learn more about how your political structure, civil society organization, or informal initiative may nominate a delegate. What role will be assigned to the Coordinating Council in the new configuration of democratic forces? The new configuration of democratic forces in Belarus has two main bodies, the United Transition Cabinet and the Coordinating Council, which will coordinate their activities to make the entire movement more effective. The interaction of these two bodies also presupposes a procedure of approval or endorsement of the Cabinet's representatives. However, this mechanism can only begin to work after the successful reorganization of the Coordinating Council into a unified representative body. The Coordination Council's mandate will include coordination of democratic forces, development of program and strategic documents, and organization of discussions of socially significant issues. The first meeting of the renewed Coordinating Council is scheduled for December 16, 2022, immediately after the inclusion of the newly delegated representatives of democratic forces and civil society organizations. There is still much work ahead, and we believe that the new format of the Coordinating Council will bring our common victory closer.