Three Russians sentenced for life for the murder in 1991
Vilnius regional court sentenced to life imprisonment three Russians, former Riga OMON officers found guilty in the murder of the Lithuanian officials at a checkpoint in Medininkai 1991.
“The accusations are completely confirmed,” the judge said Jolanta Capucine on Friday.
Guilty verdict read out without the presence of the accused because they are not involved in the meetings in Lithuania. Citizens of Russia Andrey Laktionov, Cheslav Mlynnik and Aleksandr Ryzhov were found guilty in the murder of civilians, police and customs, this crime was qualified as a crime against humanity.
In addition, the court satisfied the claim of Prosecutor General’s office and sentenced the defendant to pay to the state of 653 thousand Euro 850 of damage. Also awarded hundreds of thousands of claims in favor of the relatives of those killed.
The verdict is not final – it can be appealed within 20 days to the court of Appeal of Lithuania.
Defenders asked to justify the defendants, if their guilt is proven, and if it is, then the admission of guilt to elect a more lenient punishment than that offered by prosecutors.
At punishment, the Prosecutor, the Prosecutor Saulius Verseckas said that officials at a checkpoint in Medininkai were killed during continued military aggression, riot police had violated the laws of war. According to the Prosecutor, the accused committed crimes against peace and humanity within the jurisdiction of the Nuremberg Tribunal.
According to the materials of the case, the head of the Riga OMON, Mlynnik gave the order to attack a checkpoint in Medininkai, and Laktionov and Ryzhov this order is fulfilled in accordance with the Soviet policy. The case was referred to court in December 2013.
This is the second case involving this crime and those in the court. While in connection with the killings in Medininkai convicted one man in the spring of 2011 the Vilnius regional court convicted the citizen of Latvia, a former OMON officer Konstantin Mikhailov to life imprisonment.
Mikhaylov filed a complaint in the court of Appeal, the court in February but was denied and the sentence entered into force.
On the night of 31 March 1991, during the attack by the riot police at the checkpoint Medininkai on the border between Lithuania and Belarus were killed by employees of the Lithuanian police Balavakas Mindaugas, Algimantas Juozakas, Juozas Janonis, Algirdas Kazlauskas, and customs Stanislovas, Orlavicius, Antanas Musteikis and Richardas rebelious has (the last on 2 August died in hospital).
