The International Criminal Court opens an investigation into Belarus for possible crimes against humanity

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced the opening of an investigation into allegations of crimes against humanity committed by the regime of Aleksandr Lukashenko in Belarus.

The ICC Prosecutor's Office has completed a preliminary investigation, concluding that there are reasonable grounds to suspect a policy of repression in Belarus, active since 2020, following the disputed presidential elections. Massive protests against the results deemed fraudulent were met with violence by the authorities, and hundreds of thousands of Belarusians were forced to flee the country. Although Belarus is not a party to the ICC, Lithuania, which referred the case to the court, is a member, and the ICC has determined that some crimes were committed on Lithuanian territory. The leader of the Belarusian opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, welcomed the ICC's decision, expressing hope that justice will be restored for the victims of repression. Pavel Latushka, head of an opposition organization, stated that the investigation is a crucial step towards holding those responsible accountable.