Exiled Belarus Activist Submits Evidence of Lukashenkos Involvement in Illegal Transfer of Children

Pavel Latushka, a former Belarusian culture minister, presented a second dossier of evidence to the International Criminal Court that he said proves President Alexander Lukashenkos personal involvement in the illegal transfer of children to Belarus from Russian-occupied towns in Ukraine.

An exiled Belarus activist has presented a second dossier of evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) that he said proves the personal involvement of President Alexander Lukashenko in the illegal transfer of children to Belarus from Russian-occupied towns in Ukraine.

New Information from Insiders

Pavel Latushka, a former Belarusian culture minister, said some of the new information came from "insiders” in Belarus. The dossier also includes "evidence and previously unknown facts regarding the involvement of various Belarusian and Russian organisations, as well as their leaders and members, in the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children to Belarus,” he said, and gives more detailed information on a "re-education program for Ukrainian children” at a state-run camp that aims to change the mentality of the children in Russian world narratives.

Personal Details of 37 Ukrainian Children

Latushka said the information also includes personal details of 37 Ukrainian children he said were illegally transferred from Ukraine to Belarus.

Lukashenko's Denial

In June, Lukashenko rejected Latushka’s accusations as "madness,” arguing that Belarus has temporarily hosted the children to help them recover from the war’s trauma.

ICC Investigation into Crimes Committed in Ukraine

The ICC has an investigation into crimes committed in Ukraine. In March, the court issued warrants for both Putin and his commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. Judges in The Hague said they found "reasonable grounds to believe” that the two were responsible for the war crimes of unlawful deportation of children and unlawful transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. Moscow has rejected the allegations.

Latushka Forced to Leave Belarus

Latushka was forced to leave Belarus under pressure from Belarusian authorities following Lukashenko’s reelection in a 2020 vote that the opposition and the West denounced as rigged. He now lives in Poland.

ICC's Process for Assessing Evidence

Any group or individual can send evidence of alleged crimes to the ICC. Prosecutors assess submissions to "identify those that appear to fall within the jurisdiction of the Court and warrant further action,” the court says on its website. If they do, they could be investigated or fed into an ongoing investigation.

The submission of this second dossier of evidence to the ICC is a significant development in the investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus. The ICC's assessment of the evidence will determine whether further action is warranted.