DISINFO: Repressions against protesters prove resurgence of Fascism in Lithuania
SUMMARY
On 10-11 August, bloody events began in Lithuania, which proves the resurgence of Fascism in the country. The political regime sent special forces against peaceful citizens and is implementing political repressions and violates the freedom of speech. Forces of occupants - the US and Germany - are still in the country.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Fascism in Lithuania.
Allegations of political repressions and violation of the freedom of speech in Lithuania are not true.
A rally against the Lithuanian government's anti-COVID-19 measures took place on the 10 August 2021, in front of the Lithuanian Parliament. The protest began in the morning and should have ended at 17:00hrs. A few hundred protesters stayed near the parliament after the official end of the meeting. They blocked members of the parliament inside the building, refused to obey police instructions and attacked journalists. Police used special measures when all other measures had been exchaused. 26 people were detained. Read more about the protest here. Information about riots after meeting and results of it is available here.
Lithuania is a democratic country that protects the rule of law. The most recent Freedom House report qualifies Lithuania as a democracy with an aggregate freedom score of 90 out of 100. "Lithuania is a democracy in which political rights and civil liberties are generally respected," the report says. I.e. in the category of “Freedom of Expression and Belief”, Lithuania got a maximum score (4 points) in sectors of religion and academic freedom, as well as in the sector of individual freedom to express personal views on political and other topics. In the sector of freedom and independence of media, Lithuania got 3 points (from 4).
There are no “occupation forces” on the territory of Lithuania. There is NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Lithuania. The Battlegroup together with similar Battlegroups in Latvia, Estonia, Poland, was deployed in Lithuania in 2017. The decision about eFP was made during the NATO Summit in Warsaw in 2016 as the reaction to Russia's aggression against Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea.
See similar cases of disinformation: The minister of economy of Lithuania publicly showed a Nazi salute; By praising the Forest Brothers, NATO equated itself to the Nazi regime; European countries glorify Fascism, but Baltic states are worse.