Belarus arranging for foreign diplomats to meet children illegally deported from Ukraine
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has found out that the Belarusian government is hoping to arrange for foreign diplomats to meet children illegally deported from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
Quote: "According to the information obtained by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, on 4 October, Belarus intends to arrange for representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps accredited in Minsk to visit the so-called ‘places of residence, education, and rehabilitation’ of Ukrainian children who have been taken from the cities of Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk, temporarily occupied by Russia, to Belarus."
Details: Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry explained that the aim of the visit is to legalise the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories of Ukraine.
The norms of international law stipulate that forcible deportation of children can constitute a war crime, the Foreign Ministry stressed, adding that Belarusian officials are trying to use international diplomatic representatives to avoid being held accountable.
Quote: "We are calling on foreign countries whose diplomatic representatives in Minsk have received invitations [from the Belarusian government to attend the event] to avoid taking part in the Belarusian regime’s propaganda event.
We will continue to work to bring to justice everyone who has committed crimes against Ukrainian children, both nationally and as part of the International Criminal Court investigation."
Background:
- In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin, finding him guilty of the illegal deportation of thousands of children from Ukraine. The issuance of the warrant means that Putin can be arrested if he travels to any member state of the International Criminal Court.
- Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin confirmed that the US intends to hand over data on Russian war crimes to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
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