A man involved in the murder of more than 1,700 people will be tried in Belarus

The Prosecutor General's Office of Belarus has sent a criminal case against the former officer to the Supreme Court SS and security police of Hans Eugen Siegling, accused of genocide of the Belarusian people. This was announced today, December 2, by the press service of the department.

It is reported that Hans Siegling is a native of the German Empire, born in 1912, who died after December 14, 1978 on the territory of Germany.

"According to the case file, the accused, heading the Ukrainian police company from the moment of deployment in the occupied territory of the BSSR, and from December 1942-January 1943 — the 57th battalion of the security police created on its basis, executed the criminal orders of the higher leadership of Nazi Germany. He directly organized punitive operations and actions, during which he committed murders, including mass killings, the destruction, in whole or in part, of 11 rural settlements. In particular, guided by the motives of national and ideological enmity and discord, acting as one, with all, and together with some of his subordinates, Siegling deprived of life by shooting from firearms and hanging at least 1,706 people, including at least 238 obviously underage children, as well as persons who were in a helpless state., and obviously elderly. He also attempted to murder at least 30 more people, causing bodily injuries of varying severity to some, but was unable to complete his criminal actions due to circumstances beyond his control," the Prosecutor General's Office said in a statement.

It is noted that the investigation team of the Prosecutor General's Office "collected irrefutable evidence contained in 22 volumes of the criminal case and confirming Siegling's participation in the destruction of the civilian population of the BSSR personally or through giving orders to his subordinates."

It should be reminded that investigations into the genocide of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War have been conducted in Belarus over the past few years. This is the sixth criminal case in the history of the republic sent to court against a Nazi criminal accused in the framework of this process.