Lithuanian organizations warn of migrant exploitation and media bias

Organizations and trade unions in Lithuania are raising alarms regarding the exploitation of foreign workers. Reports indicate that citizens from third countries are facing significant hardships, including the confiscation of passports, being forced to work roles different from those agreed upon, excessive overtime, and heavy fines. In some instances, workers are being held financially liable through predatory contracts; for example, one worker faced a €10,000 debt for leaving a logistics company before a two-year term.

Additionally, the Lithuanian Muslim community has issued an appeal to the media regarding the responsible coverage of migration. They urge journalists to avoid disproportionately linking migration issues to the Muslim religious community by using imagery from the Kaunas Mosque to illustrate migration stories. The community emphasizes that migration is not a religious identity issue and that Islam has a 700-year history in Lithuania, noting that migrants include people of various faiths and no religious affiliation.