Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have opened an investigation into Belarus over the suspected forced deportation of government opponents.

The ICC prosecutor’s office said on Thursday that it had found “a reasonable basis to believe crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court have been committed”.

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The alleged crimes that are being investigated include deportation and persecution through deportation and were committed “at least in part on the territory of Lithuania”.

“There is a reasonable basis to believe that these crimes were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population,” the prosecutor added.

While Belarus is not a member of the ICC, Lithuania is and brought the case to the court.

Lithuania has become a refuge for tens of thousands of Belarusians who left their homeland after Minsk authorities violently suppressed protests against longtime President Alexander Lukashenko in 2020.

Exiled opposition figures have regularly reported being threatened by Minsk’s KGB security services while abroad.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the ICC prosecutor’s announcement.

“Hundreds of thousands of Belarusians have suffered, and continue to suffer, because of the regime’s actions. Lukashenka’s policies also create threats for Belarus’ neighbours,” she said in a statement.

“This decision restores hope. That justice will prevail, that those responsible will be held accountable, and that the victims will finally receive truth and justice,” she added.

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In September 2024, Lithuania urged the ICC to open an investigation as it said some of the alleged crimes took place in its country.

Belarus has often forcibly deported political prisoners released from prison, mostly to Lithuania, such as Nobel Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, in December.

Last September, Minsk also tried to deport opposition figure Mikola Statkevich to Lithuania by force. Refusing to cross the border, he walked back to Belarus and was sent back to prison before being released for medical reasons last month.

According to the Viasna rights group, there are 1,139 political prisoners in Belarus.