Belarus’ opposition discussing international mechanisms to punish Łukašenka

June 12, BPN. The Belarusian opposition has no mechanism to bring the perpetrators to account for human rights abuses in Belarus, the country’s former presidential candidate Śviatlana Cichanoŭskaja has told participants at an international conference in Vilnius.

The conference focuses on the responsibility of the Alaksandr Łukašenka regime for crimes against humanity and the migration crisis. Cichanoŭskaja described it as “another step towards restoring justice in Belarus.”

“Łukašenka’s regime has a long history of crimes since 1994: abuse of power, election fraud, aircraft hijacking, extrajudicial executions of political opponents, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression,” she said.

The opposition leader stressed the importance of universal jurisdiction to prosecute for crimes committed in other countries and by foreign nationals.

Lithuania and Poland are investigating several cases of torture in Belarus, while similar cases may be also filed in Czechia and Germany, Cichanoŭskaja said.

But she added that little progress has been made.

Existing international mechanisms are ineffective, she said, noting that the UN Security Council is unlikely to support an investigation into human rights abuses in Belarus as long as China and Russia have the veto power. “It creates a sense of impunity and the regime intensifies the crackdown,” the politician stressed.