European Parliament Accuses Lukashenka Of Crimes Against Humanity

MEPs call on to issue an arrest warrant for the dictator’s arrest.

The European Parliament adopted the Report on Relations with Belarus by a majority vote at the Strasbourg plenary session on September 13. The author of the document is Lithuanian MEP Petras Auštrevičius. In June, the preliminary text of the report was approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, a Charter97.org correspondent reports.

The European Parliament considers that the “actions of Lukashenka himself and his regime may also amount to the crime against humanity of ‘deportation or forcible transfer of population’ under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).” The European Parliament called on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Lukashenka’s arrest.

MEPs “strongly condemn Belarus Red Cross’s involvement in Ukrainian child forcible transfers.”

The European Parliament holds the Lukashenka regime responsible for the deaths of Belarusian political prisoners, be it suicide (the official cause of death of Dzmitry Dudoits) or a perforated ulcer (the official cause of death of the famous artist Ales Pushkin): “The actions of the regime and the denial of medical care and legal aid have resulted in the death of political prisoners including Vitold Ashurak, Dzmitry Dudoits, Aliaksandr Vikhor, Mikalai Klimovicz, Dzmitry Sarokin and Ales Pushkin.”

MEPs expressed concern about the long-standing lack of information about Mikalai Statkevich, Viktar Babaryka, Maryia Kalesnikava, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Maksim Znak, Ihar Losik, Katsiaryna Bakhvalava, Andrzej Poczobut.

Lawmakers call for the immediate provision of all necessary medical treatment to those political prisoners with serious diseases and health issues including: Pavel Kuchynski, Ales Bialiatski, Mikalai Statkevich, Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, Ryhor Kastusiou, Iryna Melkher, Halina Dzerbysh, Henadz Fiadynich, Marfa Rabkova, Vasil Berasnieu, Viachaslau Areshka, Uladzimir Hundar, Uladzimir Matskevich, Alena Hnauk, Andrei Voinich, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Mikita Zalatarou, Dzmitry Zalomski, Aliaksei Hubich, Maria Kalesnikava, Viktar Babaryka, Vadzim Hurman, Antanina Kanavalava, Darya Afanasievа, Arseni Maiseichyk, Ihar Mints, Pavel Hancharuk, Siarhei Batura, Viachaslau Dashkevich, Daniil Kastsiukevich, Mikhail Khamitsevich, Andrzej Poczobut, Ksenia Lutskina, Volha Zalatar, Artsiom Bayarski, Uladzimir Malakhouski, Ruslan Slutski, Alena Maushuk, Larysa Kuzmenka, Kiryl Palcheuski, Yury Prakharenka, Siarhei Verashchahin, Viachaslau Rahashchuk, Aliaksandr Kapshul, Raman Karanevich, Vital Melnik, Aksana Zaretskaya and Viktoryia Kulsha.

MEPs call on the European Commission and EU states to support independent Belarusian media and strengthen the capacity of such media outlets as Charter’97, Radio Racyja, Euroradio, Belsat TV, Naša Niva, Novy Čas, NEXTA, Malanka and Zerkalo.

The European Parliament calls for “strengthening the protection of the EU borders in order to stop any provocations by the Wagner Group or attempts by Wagner Group mercenaries to infiltrate the EU.”

The European Parliament calls on EU states to simplify the provision of residence permits to those who left Belarus for political reasons, as well as to provide support for those Belarusians residing in the EU whose identity documents are about to expire.

The lawmakers “call on the leadership of the Belarusian democratic forces to maintain unity and to continue to employ innovative methods to inform and engage with the people of Belarus, particularly within the country, in order to maintain their trust and faith in democratic change.”

“Belarusian people continue to be subject to systematic violations of human rights and crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenka regime… The European Parliament remains an ardent supporter of the people of Belarus, who belong in Europe and continue to express their European aspirations,” the report reads.