Lithuanian court upholds conviction of Irma Gajauskaitė for inciting riots

The Šiauliai Regional Court has upheld the conviction of Irma Gajauskaitė for attempting to incite riots. The ruling follows an appeal regarding a Facebook video posted on October 8, 2024, in which she called for violence against participants of political debates held at Lukiškės Prison in Vilnius.

According to the court, the 33-minute video explicitly encouraged individuals to join the unrest and bring weapons such as baseball bats, pitchforks, and axes. While the court confirmed the criminal nature of these actions, it decided to uphold a 40-day arrest sentence but suspended its execution for one year, determining that the punishment goals could be met without isolating her from society.

Regarding other charges, the court acquitted Gajauskaitė of public contempt of the Jewish people following a social media post from November 10, 2024, stating that insulting remarks alone were insufficient for criminal liability in that instance. Additionally, she was released from criminal liability for causing physical pain to a relative due to the insignificance of the act.