Belarus has initiated a criminal case under the “Crimes against Humanity” clause against Latvian security forces due to their handling of migrants, as per the official representative of the Investigative Committee in Belarus, Sergei Kabakovich.
He reported that Latvian security forces have been pushing migrants across the border into Belarusian territory.
Kabakovich highlighted the harsh and insane actions of “mercenaries in military uniform” at the Latvian border towards migrants trying to enter European Union countries via the Baltic states.
These actions violate international treaties, including the Refugee Convention, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
He asserted that the followers of “European fascism” systematically carry out illegal deportations, cruelty, armed displacement, torture, and domination over foreigners.
Kabakovich confirmed that some victims die while attempting to cross the border, with their bodies thrown over the fence by the so-called “punitive battalions” of the European Union.
He attributed this chaos to the implicit adoption by officials in the Republic of Latvia of racist superiority and authoritarianism ideologies, who believe in the supremacy of European culture and nation that should be protected from the influence of other cultures and peoples, maintaining the so-called purity of the nation.
He mentioned that 12 individuals have already become victims of the prevailing ideology of Latvian authorities, which promotes racial hatred, discrimination, and violence, making their attempt to cross the border deadly.
The main investigative department of the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under Article 128 (Crimes against Human Safety) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, and the representative said that “necessary investigative actions are being carried out.”
In late October, Latvian security forces had beaten two migrants and forced them to cross the border into Belarusian territory, as announced by the Belarusian governmental border committee.
In 2021, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland reported an increase in the number of detained illegal migrants from the Middle East and Africa at the border with Belarus, accusing Minsk of creating a migration crisis. However, Belarus vehemently denied these accusations.
The Belarusian border guard reported the forcible expulsion of migrants by neighboring European Union countries into Belarusian territory.
According to the Belarusian border committee, in 2022, more than 3,800 attempts to illegally expel groups of foreigners from neighboring European Union countries to Belarus were stopped, totaling more than 31,000 individuals.
