Disinfo: Lithuanian judges broke the law in the case of January 13th

Summary

The Investigative Committee of Russia (ICR) charged, in absentia, the Lithuanian judges which passed an illegal judgement in the case of events of January 13, 1991, in Vilnius. The ICR said that the Lithuanian judges know that events in Vilnius happened at the moment when Lithuania was part of the USSR. During the events of January 1991, Soviet troops acted according to Soviet law to ensure public order.

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On January 13., 1991, during an armed confrontation near the TV tower in Vilnius, 14 people died and more than 600 were injured. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Lithuania claims without any evidence that victims were killed by Soviet soldiers.

Disproof

The case contains historical revisionism and recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the events of January 13th, 1991.

The statement by the Investigative Committee of Russia against the Lithuanian judges is an attempt to exert pressure on Lithuania, its courts, and law enforcement officials.

Lithuania officially restored its independence of state on March 11, 1990. Moscow used political and economic pressure to keep the republic part of the USSR. In January 1991, Soviet troopers together with the KGB's special forces “Alfa” seized the TV tower and building of the Radio and Television Committee in Vilnius. During these events, 14 civilians died, and many were injured. The civilians were peaceful and unarmed. They tried to protect the TV tower and Committee of Radio and Television from being attacked by Soviet soldiers.

The events of January 13th, 1991, and crimes committed by the USSR troops have been extensively documented. See also BBC reporting from 1991.

Previous pro-Kremlin disinformation linked to the events of January 13th 1991 can be seen in the following cases: On January 13th, 1991, people died in Vilnius at the hands of their own forces; Lithuanian charges against the Soviet soldiers in the January 13th case are trumped up; Unknown shooters killed 14 people in Vilnius, on January 13, 1991; In attempt to cover up the January 13 provocation, Lithuania has transformed into the North Korea of the EU; During January 13th events in Vilnius, Soviet soldiers did nor kill any people.

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  • Reported in: Issue 224
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14/12/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian, Lithuanian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: USSR, Lithuania, Russia
  • Keywords: January 13
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