{"id":100970,"date":"2024-08-17T21:44:42","date_gmt":"2024-08-17T18:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/100970\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"cichanouskaja-us-criminal-justice-ambassador-pen-article-on-holding-lukasenka-regime-accountable","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/100970\/","title":{"rendered":"Cichano\u016dskaja, US criminal justice ambassador pen article on holding \u0141uka\u0161enka regime accountable"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\n Beth Van Schaack \n <\/div>\n \n
\n (state.gov)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

August 17, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja and the US ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice, Beth Van Schaack, have written a joint article on the need to hold the Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka regime accountable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The opinion piece headlined “Justice for Belarus” was published<\/a> by the American newspaper The Hill<\/em> yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The article said that \u0141uka\u0161enka “has never been held to account for perpetrating massive human rights violations after the country’s fraudulent presidential election on Aug. 9, 2020.” “This ongoing impunity has caused unspeakable suffering for Belarusians and now fuels the Belarusian regime\u2019s complicity in Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regime’s actions, such as facilitating the movement of Russian troops and allegedly backing the displacement and indoctrination of Ukrainian children, enabled atrocities in Ukraine, the authors argued. As violations in Belarus continue to have ripple effects far beyond its borders, “now is the time to recommit to the fight for justice,” the article said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also pointed to Belarus’ “1,400 verified political prisoners held in abysmal conditions and often incommunicado.” “At least 30,000 individuals have been unjustly detained since 2020 and over 300,000 forced into exile, according to the UN’s most recent reporting. In 2022, the UN Special Rapporteur for Belarus shared her findings that gross human rights violations in the country may amount to crimes against humanity,” it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authors assert that the \u0141uka\u0161enka regime has found new ways to suppress exiled Belarusians, including by trying them in absentia, auctioning off their property and intimidating their friends and families. Futhermore, “in 2023, the regime suspended consular services abroad, preventing Belarusians living outside of the country from renewing passports or obtaining travel documents for their children, and making it nearly impossible to maintain control over their homes and property in Belarus.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The lack of accountability and entrenched impunity for this brutal state of affairs is the key challenge. There is much we can do to promote accountability and justice, notwithstanding \u0141uka\u0161enka’s cruel grip on power,” the article continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authors suggested supporting and training human rights activists, independent journalists and those living in exile who are working to document abuses for future criminal trials. This also includes support for the International Accountability Platform for Belarus, a coalition of NGOs that collect, verify and preserve evidence of human rights abuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also mentioned the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Moscow Mechanism and universal jurisdiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The path to justice in Belarus is fraught with challenges, but that is no reason to halt the journey toward righting the wrongs committed by \u0141uka\u0161enka’s regime. By standing firm against impunity in Belarus, supporting its civil society and aligning global efforts, we acknowledge the dignity and rights of people everywhere who are striving for a future free from repression and Russia\u2019s malign influence,” the article concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Van Schaack was sworn in as the US State Department’s ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice on March 17, 2022. In this capacity, she advises the secretary of state and senior diplomats on preventing and responding to atrocity crimes, such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier, the Belarusian opposition leader penned joined articles with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida \u0160imonyt\u0117, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dictatorships fall quickly, says Cichano\u016dskaja in her video message on election anniversary<\/h3>\n
August 9, Pozirk. Dictatorships fall quickly and unexpectedly and people need to be prepared, opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja said in a video address marking the fourth anniversary of Belarus' disputed presidential election. "That is why it is so important to …<\/div>\n \n