Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and head of the National Anti-Crisis Management Pavel Latushka believes that the International Criminal Court’s investigation remains the most effective mechanism for holding Aliaksandr Lukashenka accountable. He made the statement on August 7 during a special session of the New Belarus Conference in Warsaw dedicated to Belarus’ role in the war against Ukraine.
Speaking about possible ways to hold the regime accountable, Latushka recalled a recent appeal by the Forum of Democratic Forces of Belarus, founded by Valery Tsapkala, to the Office of the President of Ukraine requesting the opening of criminal proceedings against Lukashenka. Latushka noted that a separate criminal investigation into the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children to Belarus is already underway, making a new case unnecessary.
“When we talk about criminal proceedings concerning the war crime of the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine to Belarus and their subsequent indoctrination, such criminal proceedings already exist, and there was no point in making such an initiative. (…)
In 2023, after the National Anti-Crisis Management submitted two communications to the Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court regarding the unlawful transfer of at least 3,500 Ukrainian children to Belarus and their subsequent indoctrination—and I personally attended that meeting—including orphaned children, employees of the National Anti-Crisis Management were invited by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and, within the framework of these criminal proceedings and in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, we submitted these materials and gave the relevant testimony during the investigation.
These proceedings were not opened specifically against Lukashenka, and, in principle, there is no point in doing so because there is already a case being handled by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
If we are talking about accountability, then the most effective way is to hold Lukashenka accountable through the case before the International Criminal Court. This is because neither personal nor functional immunity applies to Lukashenka in this situation,” the politician said.
Latushka also noted that, according to the information available to him, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is already investigating these allegations using materials submitted by the National Anti-Crisis Management and Yale University.
According to Latushka, proving genocide charges against Lukashenka would be considerably more difficult. If the necessary evidence is gathered, however, he said he would support such an initiative.
“Even Vladimir Putin has not yet been charged with genocide. Frankly speaking, I want Lukashenka to be held fully accountable. Proving that Lukashenka is responsible for genocide will be quite difficult. But if the evidence can be gathered, I will fully support it,” he said.
Latushka also spoke about efforts to establish the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. He recalled that the agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine was signed in June 2025 and that the tribunal’s founding documents have now been signed by 36 states and the European Commission. The ratification process is currently underway. Once completed, a governing committee will begin forming the tribunal, appointing judges and prosecutors, and establishing its secretariat.
According to Latushka, the tribunal could begin operating fully in 2027. He stressed that the National Anti-Crisis Management, BELPOL, and iSANS are collecting evidence that they intend to submit to investigators once the tribunal begins its work.
“The documented evidence currently available allows us to state with confidence that Lukashenka’s actions contain all the elements of the crime of aggression falling within the jurisdiction of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine,” the politician said.
“The statements made and the actual consequences show that Lukashenka directly discussed with Vladimir Putin the deployment of Russian troops in Belarus; ensured the preparation and transfer of military infrastructure to Russia; and initiated and carried out the deployment of Russian troops in Belarus,” Latushka stressed.
The head of the National Anti-Crisis Management also said that during the recent visit of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and representatives of the United Transitional Cabinet to Kyiv, an agreement was reached to provide additional evidence to Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Prosecutor General’s Office as it becomes available.
Speaking about the investigation into crimes against humanity, Latushka thanked the Lithuanian authorities for their cooperation in preparing materials for the ICC and said that the Belarusian democratic forces had also asked the Ukrainian side to consider joining the investigation.