The Office of the Prosecutor General of Belarus thanked Russia for its assistance in the investigation of the genocide in the BSSR.

MINSK, March 22 – RIA Novosti. The head of the investigative team of the Belarusian Prosecutor General’s Office on the investigation of the criminal case of the genocide of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War – head of the department Valery Tolkachev, said that Minsk is grateful to the Russian Federation. help in this situation, which cannot be overestimated.

“We are grateful to our Russian colleagues for their assistance in all areas of work in the framework of the investigation of the criminal case related to the genocide. The Russian Federation, which during the Great Patriotic War stored a huge amount of information for study on the genocide against the peaceful population of Belarus,” said the statement.

He stressed that the Prosecutor General’s Office of Belarus maintains active cooperation with the Russian Federation in the framework of the investigation of the criminal case related to genocide. The interlocutor noted that in order to quickly exchange information and experience in the context of the investigation of criminal cases related to genocide, a joint working group was formed on April 13, 2022 from the Prosecutor General’s Offices of Belarus and the Russian Federation, and on June 23, 2022 – joint investigation and operation of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Belarus and the Investigative Committee of Russia. group.

In April 2021, the Prosecutor General of Belarus Andrei Shved announced that he had opened a criminal case on the fact of the genocide of the population of the BSSR during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. The Prosecutor General noted that Minsk will raise the issue of the extradition of war criminals who are still alive for a public trial on the territory of the republic. He also noted that the Belarusian side plans to present evidence to the international court to initiate the procedure for recognizing the genocide of the Belarusian people during the war years.

In December, Shved announced the completion of the preparation of the first materials on this topic for submission to the Belarusian national courts. In February, the Attorney General said that by the end of 2023, trials in absentia against those involved in the genocide could begin in Belarusian courts. He also stated that it is planned to bring criminal proceedings not only against living criminals, but also against those who have died.

The Prosecutor General also said that unlike, for example, the Russian Federation, Western countries did not respond to requests for assistance from the Belarusian side in this criminal case. However, the Prosecutor General confirmed that Minsk will continue to seek help from other countries to bring those responsible for the genocide against the Belarusian people to justice.