The Vilnius District Prosecutor’s Office said on Thursday that it has opened a pre-trial investigation into television host Algis Ramanauskas’ remarks about people who consume Russian culture.
The Vilnius District Prosecutor’s Office said on Thursday that it has opened a pre-trial investigation into television host Algis Ramanauskas’ remarks about people who consume Russian culture.
The probe was launched under the Criminal Code’s article on public incitement to violence against a group of people or individuals based on their nationality and language.
The authorities will look into whether a crime was committed in connection with a video publicly released on September 13, which allegedly records Ramanauskas’ hate speech.
The pre-trial investigation was launched after examining and evaluating complaints from eight individuals and evidence collected during the clarification of the circumstances.
In a YouTube chat with Vytautas Sinica, a member of the Vilnius City Council, who is also running for parliament on the National Alliance’s list, Ramanauskas made hostile remarks about Russian speakers and those who consume Russian culture, saying that they should be “deprived of their children and then shot”.
After facing criticism, Ramanauskas apologised for his remarks.
“Here’s what I want to say to our Russians and Russian-speakers. No, my dear fellow citizens, I didn’t mean you when I allegedly called for someone to be killed. It wasn’t about you, although it’s obvious that I sincerely hate what we know as the ‘Russkiy Mir’ (Russian World) – with all of its Kirkorovs and awful cinema,” he posted on Facebook.
Ramanauskas said that when he speaks about a “Russified Lithuania”, he means Lithuanians who consume Russian culture.
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