Amendments initiated by President Gitanas Nausėda on tougher punishments for crimes against the state, including life imprisonment, are to be presented to the parliament, Seimas, on Tuesday.
Draft amendments to the Criminal Code proposed by the president introduce life sentences for organisers or participants in a coup d’état. Currently, the maximum prison penalty for the offense is 20 years.
Under the bill, collaboration with an occupying power should be punishable by prison terms of up to 15 years, instead of the existing five years, and participation in activities of anti-constitutional groups and organisations should be punishable by prison terms ranging from five to 15 years (currently, three to ten years).
If a person participates in an armed organisation with the aim of changing the constitutional order of Lithuania or violating its territorial integrity, the president proposes that they should face prison sentences ranging from eight years to life imprisonment, and organisers of such groups should face prison sentences ranging from 12 years to life imprisonment.
Under the draft, criminal liability would apply to the seizure, purchase or other collection of official secrets and other information that could be used to undermine fundamental constitutional values, with the aim of transferring it to foreign intelligence authorities.
Currently, the seizure of a state secret with intent to transfer it to a foreign state is the only offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
According to the presidential office, the amendments have been drafted in response to the information provided by national intelligence institutions on Russia’s continued efforts to interfere in Lithuania’s internal affairs.
In the president’s view, there are risks that both pro-Russian Lithuanian citizens and Russian citizens in Lithuania may encroach on the independence, territorial integrity and constitutional order of the State of Lithuania.
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