Lukashenka to face trial for disappearance of Belarusian dissidents

Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, categorically denies his role. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images Europe

A member of Alexander Lukashenko's group A unit that confessed to being involved in the murder of political opponents of the Belarusian president will appear before a court in Switzerland next month.

Yury Goravsky, a member of the Belarusian special forces SOBR, will stand trial a criminal court in Switzerland in mid-September on suspicion of involvement in the enforced disappearances of three of the regime's main opponents a quarter of a century ago.

Mr. Goravskiy revealed his role in a 2019 interview with Deutsche Welle, saying he was part of a Lukashenka-controlled gang of assassins that kidnapped Yury Zakharenko, the former Interior Minister, Viktor Gonchar, the former chairman of the country's Central Election Commission, and businessman Anatoly Krasovsky. , between May and September 1999.

His testimony coincided with long-standing rumors that the Lukashenko regime was involved in their disappearances.

Former officer who applied for political asylum in Switzerland after of his remarks, recounted the gruesome details of the kidnapping and execution of these people, as well as the disposal of their bodies in the countryside outside the capital Minsk.

Their disappearances in Belarus were revealed. has never been properly investigated.

Yuri Zakharenko, Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky were opponents of the Lukashenka regime. Credit: Contributor/Getty Images of Europe

The families of the victims filed criminal lawsuits shortly after the interview with Mr. Harawski in a groundbreaking case based on the principle of universal jurisdiction.

“This is the first ever criminal prosecution of an alleged member of the killer Lukashenka. we send a strong signal: justice for international crimes can and will be carried out regardless of the state border and the time that has passed since the crimes were committed,” said Pavel Sapelko, a lawyer for the Belarusian NGO Viasna, on Wednesday.

Ales Bialiatski, chairman of Viasna, jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize last year and was imprisoned by the Belarusian regime.

Three men disappeared in Belarus under the name of Lukashenka, whose elected 1994, strengthened his personal power. Zakharenko, who briefly served as interior minister, joined a popular opposition group a year before his assassination and was considered a strong contender to fight the incumbent.

Mr. Lukashenko, who allowed Russia to use his country as launch pad for last year's Ukrainian invasion, vehemently denies any involvement in the disappearance of the three men.