Wed Sep 25 07:34:34 UTC 2024: ## Rights Groups Accuse Belarus and Russia of Forcibly Reeducating Ukrainian Children
**MINSK/THE HAGUE** – Human rights groups have filed a report with the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging that Belarus and Russia are forcibly reeducating hundreds of Ukrainian children, aiming to turn them against their homeland.
The report, compiled by Zmina, Freedom House, and Ukraine’s Regional Human Rights Center, claims that at least 2,219 Ukrainian children aged 6 and older have been subjected to discriminatory pressure and indoctrination programs in Belarus. The groups provide evidence suggesting that Belarusian agents are actively involved in the eradication of Ukrainian identity, turning these children into “enemies of their own people.”
The report details the methods of reeducation and identifies 18 entities in Belarus allegedly involved in the program. It also provides insights into the financing and implementation of the initiative, accusing Russia of facilitating the transfer of these children.
This latest accusation follows previous reports, including one from RFE/RL, that revealed Belarus’s involvement in organizing vacations for children from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, where they are exposed to propaganda aligning with Moscow’s and Minsk’s narratives.
The United Nations estimates that over 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia since the start of the invasion. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2023 in connection with these alleged war crimes.
While Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka claims that Ukrainian children in Belarus receive medical treatment and rest, human rights organizations insist the program constitutes “crimes against humanity” and have called for a full investigation by the ICC.
First Piper 