Lithuania takes Belarus to Hague court over migrant crisis triggered by Lukashenko regime

VILNIUS - Lithuania has taken Belarus to the International Court of Justice in The Hague over a migrant crisis triggered by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, accusing it of violating international law, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The case concerns alleged breaches of state obligations under the United Nations Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, the ministry said in a press release.

"Since 2021, Lithuania has been facing an unprecedented surge in illegal migration from Belarus. Evidence collected by Lithuanian authorities confirms the direct involvement of the Belarusian regime in organizing the flow of migrants," it said.

According to the ministry, Belarus' state-owned companies increased flights from the Middle East and other regions, facilitated the issuance of visas and arranged accommodation for arriving migrants.

Once in Belarus, many of the migrants were allegedly escorted to the Lithuanian border by Belarusian security forces and pushed to cross illegally, often in dangerous and life-threatening conditions.

Despite repeated requests for cooperation, Belarusian border officials have refused to work with Lithuanian authorities to stop the illegal crossings, the Foreign 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 Belarusian democracy and sanctions over human rights abuses," it said.

The ministry said that despite intensive bilateral talks, the dispute over the protocol violations had not been resolved, prompting Lithuania to take the matter to the International Court of Justice to hold Belarus accountable under international law.

Lithuania is seeking full compensation for the damage caused, including the cost of constructing border barriers, and guarantees that such violations will not happen again.

According to the State Border Guard Service, Lithuanian border guards have blocked 23,600 attempts by foreign nationals to cross into the country illegally from Belarus since the start of the migration crisis.

Lithuania last year became the first country to ask the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenko regime, including forced deportations, persecution and other forms of cruel treatment that violate the core principles of international law.

The Council of Europe's Information Point for the people of Belarus is expected to open soon in Vilnius.