The Lithuanian government filed a suit against Belarus at the UN global Court of Justice in order to hold the Belarusian authorities liable for organising the migration crisis, informed the Lithuanian Ministry of abroad Affairs.
“The case concerns a violation of the obligations of States under the United Nations Protocolon smugglingmigrants by land, sea and air.
As of 2021. Lithuania is facing an unprecedented influx of illegal migrants from Belarus. The evidence gathered by the Lithuanian institutions confirms the direct engagement of the Belarusian government in the organisation of migration flows: Belarusian state-owned companies increased the number of flights from the mediate East and another regions, organised the issuance of visas and accommodation of incoming migrants. Upon arrival in Belarus, many of them were taken by Belarusian safety forces to the border with Lithuania and forced to illegally cross it, frequently in dangerous and life-threatening conditions.
The Belarusian border services, despite repeated requests for cooperation, refused to cooperate with the Lithuanian authorities to halt illegal border crossing. Lithuania considers this to be an intentional effort by the Belarusian government to usage migration as a means of political force on Lithuania and the European Union in consequence to their support for Belarus' democracy and sanctions as a violation of human rights," the Lithuanian MFA said.
It has besides been noted that despite intense bilateral negotiations, the dispute over the violations of the protocol against smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air has not been resolved. As a result, Lithuania addressed the UN global Court of Justice, demanding that Belarus be brought to justice.
“Lithuania’s demands include full compensation for the harm caused, including the costs of building the wall, as well as guarantees that actions contrary to global law will not be repeated,” concluded the Ministry of abroad Affairs.
The Lithuanian MFA besides stressed that Lithuania had already asked the global Criminal Court last year to launch an investigation into crimes against humanity committed by the government of Alaksandra Lukashenka.
One of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition, Mr Latszka supported Lithuania's request to the UN global Court of Justice to sue Belarus for breaching obligations under the UN Protocol. In his opinion, Lithuania's message stresses that the mechanisms of global legal work are an effective tool to guarantee that the State is liable for breaching global obligations.
Source: reforms.news, urm.lt, t.me/latushka
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