Lithuania: Treatment of former Communist Party members
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LTU29372.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Lithuania: Treatment of former Communist Party members, 1 May 1998, LTU29372.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aabe84.html [accessed 28 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on the treatment of former members of the Lithuanian Communist Party could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
However, a 3 January 1997 ELTA report states that Lithuanian President Algirdas Brazauskas had turned down an appeal made by a "Communist-leaning" Russian scientific society to bring a halt to court proceedings held against Mycolas Burokiavicius and Juozas Jermalavicius, both former leaders of the Lithuanian communist Party (LKP). In the words of Brazauskas, " Burokiavicius and Jermalavicius were accused [in Januar 1991] of sabotage, foundation of anti-state organizations and massacre which are very serious crimes " (ibid.)
According to a 12 May 1997 Belapan report, Burokiavicius and Jermalavicius were arrested in Belarus in 1994 and deported to Lithuania.
Country Reports 1997 states that the Communist Party of Lithuania and other organizations related to the former Soviet Union are illegal.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Belapan [Minsk, in English]. 12 May 1997. "Belarus: Communists Picket Lithuanian Embassy in Minsk." (FBIS-SOV-97-132 13 May 1997) [Internet]. < wnc.fedworld.gov > [Date consulted: 26 May 1998].
ELTA [Vilnius, in English]. 3 January 1997. "Lithuania: President Rejects Call to Halt Trial of Communists." (FBIS-SOV-97-004 8 Jan. 1997) [Internet]. < wnc.fedworld.gov > [Date consulted: 26 May 1998].
Additional Sources Consulted
Electronic Sources: LEXIS/NEXIS, REFWORLD, IRB databases.
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights. Annual Report 1997.
Resource Centre's Amnesty International files : Lithuania. 1997-98
Resource Centre's Country files : Lithuania. 1997-98.
United Nations Human Rights Committee. 19 November 1997. Sixty-First Session. Consideration of Reports Submitted by State Parties under Article 40 of the Covenant: Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee: Lithuania.
