On May 19th, 2025, Lithuania initiated court proceedings against Belarus in the International Criminal Court (ICJ). Lithuania alleges that Belarus is failing to uphold its obligations under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, against the smuggling of migrants. According to Lithuania, Belarus is working against this treaty by actively facilitating migrant crossings from Belarus to Lithuania and failing to meaningfully cooperate with the Lithuanian border control agencies to prevent smuggling. In addition, Lithuania claims this smuggling is detrimental to the human rights of the affected migrants, and is harming Lithuania’s sovereignty. 

In this committee, the delegates will navigate the geopolitical and legal complexity of the case to reach a proper judgment. Split up into advocates and judges, the advocates will be tasked with creating the legal argument for their country, using the various treaties and agreements that make up international law,  while the judges will be unbiased arbiters who will vote on the final decision. Throughout the conference, both parties will present their cases, and the judges will deliberate on the presentations, all following the legal framework of the ICJ. This advanced committee will challenge delegates to move beyond the traditional Model UN framework by forcing them to consider the legal ramifications of each country’s actions instead of simply pursuing a solution to a global problem.  As a result, delegates will gain a deeper understanding of the international legal system and enhance their critical thinking skills.