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The report on the investigation was released after Lithuanian border guards announced on Tuesday that they had begun turning around migrants trying to enter the country illegally from Belarus.
Lithuanian officials suspect that the Lukashenko regime is organizing an unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants in retaliation for European Union sanctions for the authoritarian crackdown on dissidents following disputed elections last year.
Belarusian border guards reported early Wednesday that they had found an Iraqi national in “difficult conditions” on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border in the vicinity of the Benekainiai settlement.
An unidentified man has “died at the hands of border guards,” according to a report published on the Pul pervogo channel of the Telegram correspondence platform close to the presidency.
“The president was immediately informed of this shocking assassination of an Iraqi returning from Lithuania,” he added.
Lukashenko ordered officials to investigate the incident and said he would find the man’s relatives, who would be issued Belarusian visas so they could come and transport the body, according to the report.
Last week, the European Union condemned Minsk for using migrants for political purposes, likening these actions to human trafficking, and said it was ready to impose sanctions on those who contributed to it.
The use of migrants and refugees is completely unacceptable.
“The use of migrants and refugees is completely unacceptable,” said EU Director of Diplomacy Josep Borrell. “The use of people in need for political purposes violates fundamental European values and principles.”
The Community also said it was pressuring Iraq to stop the flow of migrants trying to reach Lithuania through Belarus.
Anatoly Hlaz, a spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, denied the “unfounded allegations” on Tuesday.
Belarusian border guards reported on Tuesday that Lithuania had turned over 40 migrants who had suffered “bodily injury”, including women and children, and accused the neighboring country of using “force”.
This year, more than 4,000 people illegally crossed the border from Belarus into Lithuania. migrants, dozens of times more than last year.
Lithuania has declared an emergency situation due to the increase in illegal immigration.
Tensions between Minsk and Vilnius escalated after Lithuania protected several members of the Belarusian opposition, including Lukashenko’s rival in the elections, Sviatlan Cichanouskaya.
Many Belarusians fled the country, many to neighboring Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania, when authoritarian President Lukashenko’s regime began to crack down on any disobedience following a wave of mass protests sparked by his disputed re-election in August last year. The Belarusian opposition and western countries consider the election rigged.
Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994.
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