Lithuania’s Muslim community is considering an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights after years of unsuccessful attempts to reclaim land adjacent to a mosque in Kaunas, raising concerns about unequal treatment under the law.
The land in question, located in Ramybės Park, was nationalised during the Soviet era. While other religious communities in Lithuania have successfully regained property lost under Soviet rule, the Muslim community’s efforts have stalled, allegedly due to the presence of burial sites on part of the land.
“This is not about special treatment or exceptions – we simply want the law to apply equally to all,” said Mufti Aleksandras Beganskas, Lithuania’s highest-ranking Muslim cleric.
The community currently leases an 84-are plot surrounding the mosque, but it has been petitioning for full ownership for seven years.
Beganskas noted that the Muslim population in Kaunas is growing rapidly, with some 2,500 people attending holiday prayers, often forcing the community to hold Friday prayers twice to accommodate worshippers.
“Even when people pray outside, there’s not enough space,” he said.
Kaunas municipal authorities cite the presence of graves as the main obstacle to returning the land, though they have begun proceedings to amend the area’s zoning. Under the proposed plan, the parcel would be split: one section would be allocated to the mosque and potentially returned to the community, while the portion with graves would remain public land designated for cemetery use.
“Certain steps are already underway,” said a spokesperson for the National Land Service. “The Kaunas municipal administration and the Department of Cultural Heritage are reviewing the matter. We’ll know what decisions can be made after their assessment.”
But the community’s attorney, Vytautas Breimelis, said the reasoning does not hold up, noting that other religious groups have recovered property despite similar complications. “We’ve seen churches regain their land even when graves of priests are present on the site – including one-hectare parcels like in Zapyškis,” he said.
The community emphasises that it would not pursue commercial development on the land. Instead, the reclaimed area would be used to improve access and facilities for worshippers, potentially including fencing and parking.
Following the latest unfavourable ruling from the Lithuanian Administrative Court, community leaders say they may turn to the European Court of Human Rights. The legal team argues that the situation reflects unequal legal protection and potential signs of religious discrimination.
“There are solid grounds for this kind of complaint,” said the community’s legal counsel. “The damage to the community is significant, and the European Court could order the state to compensate for it – all that’s needed now is the community’s decision to proceed.”
The deadline to file a claim with the European Court is the end of May.
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