Lithuania has become a refuge for tens of thousands of Belarusians fleeing the violent repression following the 2020 protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. In September 2024, Lithuania officially requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague to initiate an investigation, asserting that some potential crimes occurred on its territory. The ICC's prosecution stated that it has found reasonable grounds to believe that crimes falling under its jurisdiction have been committed.

The investigation will focus on alleged crimes including deportation and persecution facilitated by deportation, partially occurring within Lithuanian territory. Prosecutors indicated that there is a reasonable basis to suspect these acts were part of a widespread and systematic assault against civilian populations. This statement underscores the ICC's commitment to addressing violations of international law in the context of political repression.

The report highlights the ongoing issue of forced deportations from Belarus, where political prisoners, including Nobel Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, are frequently returned to Lithuania upon their release from prison. The investigation by the ICC may have significant implications for accountability concerning the actions of the Belarusian government and serves as a critical juncture in international responses to human rights abuses tied to authoritarian regimes.