'Heirs of fascism' can't judge me, Belarus leader says of criminal case in Germany
Reuters
Published May 07, 2021 12:39
KYIV (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday brushed off an attempt by 10 Belarusians to file a criminal case against him in Germany for crimes against humanity during a crackdown on street protests.
Speaking two days before Belarus marks its annual holiday to commemorate the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany, Lukashenko said the "heirs of fascism" were in no position to judge him.
"Who are they to judge me? For protecting you and my country?!" he was quoted by the official Belta news agency as saying. "I do not reproach them. But they are the heirs of the generations who unleashed that war."
Belarusian authorities detained tens of thousands of people in a crackdown against a wave of mass protests and strikes after Lukashenko claimed victory in a presidential election last year.
His opponents said the vote was rigged to prolong his 27-year rule, something Lukashenko denies.
The West imposed sanctions on Minsk as protesters emerged from prison with heavy bruises on their bodies and accused security forces of brutality and torture. A top United Nations official called it a "human rights crisis".
The Belarusian authorities have characterised the protesters as criminals or violent revolutionaries backed by the West, and described the actions of law enforcement agencies as adequate and necessary.
Lawyers who brought the case for the 10 Belarusians, who are now living across Europe, cited universal jurisdiction laws that allow Germany to try crimes against humanity committed anywhere in the world.
Germany's universal jurisdiction laws were used in February to secure a guilty verdict against a former member of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's security services for abetting the torture of civilians.
Get The App
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.