Lithuania has filed a case against Belarus at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, accusing the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko of deliberately orchestrating a migrant crisis in violation of international law, the Foreign Ministry announced Monday.
The case centres on alleged breaches of obligations under the United Nations Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air.
“Since 2021, Lithuania has been facing an unprecedented increase in illegal migration from Belarus,” the ministry said in a statement. “Evidence gathered by Lithuanian institutions confirms the direct involvement of the Belarusian regime in organising the flow of migrants.”
According to the ministry, Belarusian state enterprises increased flights from the Middle East and other regions, issued visas, and arranged accommodation for incoming migrants.
Many of the migrants were reportedly escorted to the Lithuanian border by Belarusian security forces and forced to cross illegally, often in dangerous and life-threatening conditions.
Despite repeated requests for cooperation, Belarusian border authorities have refused to engage with Lithuanian agencies to stop the illegal crossings, the ministry said.
“Lithuania sees these actions as a deliberate attempt by the Belarusian regime to use migration as a tool of political pressure against Lithuania and the European Union in response to their support for democracy in Belarus and sanctions over human rights violations,” the statement said.
After months of bilateral negotiations failed to resolve the dispute, Lithuania submitted the case to the ICJ on Monday, seeking international legal accountability for Belarus.
Lithuania is demanding full compensation for damages, including the costs of building border infrastructure, as well as assurances that similar violations of international law will not recur.
According to the State Border Guard Service, Lithuanian border guards have prevented 23,600 foreigners from crossing into the country from Belarus since the start of the migration crisis. Many of these individuals have attempted to cross the border multiple times.
In 2023, Lithuania was also the first country to petition the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenko regime, including forced deportations, persecution, and other forms of inhumane treatment in violation of core international legal norms.
Separately, the Council of Europe is set to open an information office in Vilnius to support the people of Belarus.
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