St, GALLEN, Switzerland: A landmark trial is set to begin in Switzerland, where a former member of an elite Belarusian police unit, Yury Garavsky, faces accusations of involvement in the disappearances of three major political opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko nearly a quarter century ago.
The trial, taking place in the northeastern Swiss canton of St. Gallen, focuses on the enforced disappearances that occurred in 1999. Former interior minister Yury Zakharenko vanished in May of that year, while in September, former deputy prime minister Viktor Gonchar and businessman Anatoly Krasovsky also disappeared.
What makes this case unique is that Garavsky gave a sensational interview in 2019, revealing that he had been a member of the Belarusian interior ministry’s SOBR special forces unit and claimed involvement in the executions of the three missing opponents two decades earlier.
Furthermore, this trial marks the first time a Belarusian national will face prosecution for enforced disappearance under the principle of universal jurisdiction, allowing the prosecution of grave crimes regardless of where they occurred. It is also reportedly the first time Switzerland is trying a case of enforced disappearance.
In 2021, after confirming Garavsky’s residence in St. Gallen, TRIAL International, along with other human rights organizations, filed a criminal complaint with the regional prosecutor. Families of the victims filed a separate complaint on the same day.
The trial is seen as a historic and precedent-setting moment, demonstrating the prosecution of such crimes in Switzerland, setting an example worldwide, and sending a strong signal that justice for international crimes knows no borders or time limitations.
Ilya Nuzov, head of FIDH’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, believes the trial could also hold broader significance by potentially leading to further investigations into those who ordered these crimes, including President Lukashenko himself.
Independent United Nations experts have lauded the upcoming trial as a fundamental step towards justice and reparation for victims, emphasizing the importance of universal jurisdiction in combating impunity.
Belarus has faced prolonged repression under President Lukashenko’s rule, marked by accusations of electoral fraud and harsh crackdowns on protests. Currently, the country holds over 1,500 political prisoners, according to Belarusian rights group Viasna.
