An international investigation into the crimes of Alexander Lukashenko's regime against Belarusian people is necessary and those responsible must be brought to justice, Lithuania's outgoing Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius said on Monday.
“The regime has intensified the repression against its own citizens and ignores the international community's warnings,” Linkevičius said in a press release after attending the EU's Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
“The EU must fully support the international investigation of crimes perpetrated by Lukashenko's regime against the people of Belarus, establish a centre to collect evidence, as well as set up an international panel of law experts. Those responsible will have to be brought to justice one day,” he said.
According to Linkevičius, the Belarusian authorities “have unleashed mass criminal proceedings against more than 1,000 peaceful protesters” and “the number of political prisoners has risen to previously unseen heights”.
Read more: Zhyve Belarus from Minsk to Vilnius – where does the slogan come from?
Lithuania's foreign minister also voiced support for the European Parliament's November 26 resolution calling on the EU to take concrete action in investigating the crimes of Lukashenko's government.
The EU is currently considering a third package of sanctions against the Belarus regime.
Read more: New EU sanctions on Belarus coming, Lithuania among initiators – minister
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