logo
Lithuania files case against Belarus at International Court of Justice

Lithuania files case against Belarus at International Court of Justice

Al Arabiya19-05-2025

Lithuania's foreign ministry said on Monday it has filed a case against Belarus at the International Court of Justice, accusing its neighbor of organizing and facilitating the smuggling of migrants into Lithuania.
'The Belarusian regime must be held legally accountable for orchestrating the wave of illegal migration and the resulting human rights violations,' Lithuania's Justice Minister Rimantas Mockus said in a statement.
'We are taking this case to the International Court of Justice to send a clear message: no state can use vulnerable people as political pawns without facing consequences under international law,' he added.
In 2021, Latvia, Poland and Lithuania faced an immigration crisis when thousands of people, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, began crossing from Belarus. Belarus has previously denied the allegation.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UN Welcomes Formation of Committees to Address Libya's Security Concerns
UN Welcomes Formation of Committees to Address Libya's Security Concerns

Asharq Al-Awsat

time4 hours ago

  • Asharq Al-Awsat

UN Welcomes Formation of Committees to Address Libya's Security Concerns

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya has welcomed the establishment by the Presidency Council of two committees to address security and rights concerns. 'UNSMIL welcomes the establishment by the Presidency Council of two committees, composed of key parties, to address security and human rights concerns,' it said in a statement on Saturday. 'These efforts are aimed at strengthening security arrangements to prevent the outbreak of fighting and ensure the protection of civilians, as well as addressing human rights concerns in detention facilities, including widespread arbitrary detention,' it said. 'The Mission is committed to providing technical support to the committees, in line with international standards and its mandate,' the statement added. UNSMIL stressed that the committees come at a 'crucial moment when Libyans are demanding meaningful reform, accountable and democratic state institutions.'

UN welcomes new Libya safety and rights committees
UN welcomes new Libya safety and rights committees

Arab News

time18 hours ago

  • Arab News

UN welcomes new Libya safety and rights committees

TRIPOLI: The United Nations mission in Libya on Saturday welcomed the formation of two committees by the Libyan presidential council to address safety and human rights after recent deadly clashes in Tripoli. UNSMIL said the committees were 'composed of key parties,' with one aimed at 'strengthening security arrangements to prevent the outbreak of fighting and ensure the protection of civilians.' The second committee was tasked with 'addressing human rights concerns in detention facilities, including widespread arbitrary detention,' it added. Libya is split between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east. The North African country has remained deeply divided since the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi. Last month, its capital was rocked by days of deadly fighting between rival armed groups that left at least eight people dead, according to the UN. The violence was sparked by the killing of Abdelghani Al-Kikli, the leader of the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA) armed group, by the government-backed 444 Brigade, which later took on another rival faction, Radaa. It also came after Dbeibah announced a string of executive orders seeking to dismantle armed groups that he later said had 'become stronger than the state.' Earlier this week, the Libyan presidential council announced the creation of the committees in a move that Dbeibah described as necessary 'to strengthen the rule of law.' The safety committee was tasked with drafting a plan to disarm non-state actors in Tripoli and strengthen the control of official security forces, the council said. And the human rights committee will monitor conditions in detention centers and review cases of people detained without judicial oversight. This came after UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk raised alarm over 'gross human rights violations uncovered at official and unofficial detention facilities' run by the SSA group. UNSMIL said it was 'committed to providing technical support' to the newly formed committees. 'UNSMIL stresses that these committees come at a crucial moment when Libyans are demanding meaningful reform, accountable and democratic state institutions,' it said.

Activist Aid Ship Nears Gaza After Reaching Egypt Coast
Activist Aid Ship Nears Gaza After Reaching Egypt Coast

Asharq Al-Awsat

timea day ago

  • Asharq Al-Awsat

Activist Aid Ship Nears Gaza After Reaching Egypt Coast

An aid ship with 12 activists on board, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, has reached the Egyptian coast and is nearing the besieged Palestinian territory, organizers said on Saturday. The Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, left Sicily last week with a cargo of relief supplies "to break Israel's blockade on Gaza". "We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast," German human rights activist Yasemin Acar told AFP. "We are all good," she added. In a statement from London on Saturday, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza -- a member organization of the flotilla coalition -- said the ship had entered Egyptian waters. The group said it remains in contact with international legal and human rights bodies to ensure the safety of those on board, warning that any interception would constitute "a blatant violation of international humanitarian law". European parliament member Rima Hassan, who is on board the vessel, urged governments to "guarantee safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla." The Palestinian territory was under Israeli naval blockade even before the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas that sparked the Gaza war and Israel has enforced its blockade with military action in the past. A 2010 commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of a similar aid flotilla trying to breach the blockade, left 10 civilians dead. In May, another Freedom Flotilla ship, the Conscience, reported coming under drone attack while en route for Gaza, prompting Cyprus and Malta to send rescue vessels in response to its distress call. There were no reports of any casualties. Earlier in its voyage, the Madleen changed course near the Greek island of Crete after receiving a distress signal from a sinking migrant boat. Activists rescued four Sudanese migrants who had jumped into the sea to avoid being returned to Libya. The four were later transferred to an EU Frontex vessel. Launched in 2010, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition is a coalition of groups opposed to the blockade on humanitarian aid for Gaza that Israel imposed on March 2 and has only partially eased since. Israel has faced mounting international condemnation over the resulting humanitarian crisis in the territory, where the United Nations has warned the entire population of more than two million is at risk of famine.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store