‘Previously, no legal regulation in the Republic of Lithuania provided for exchange procedures. Therefore, in order to avoid misunderstandings and ensure legal clarity and transparency, the amendments to the Criminal Code are aimed at establishing the procedures for granting clemency in cases of exchange of persons convicted in foreign countries of offences related to representation of the national interests of Lithuania’, said Agnė Širinskienė, Chair of the Seimas Committee on Legal Affairs, in her remarks about the main amendments.
The new provision of the Criminal Code stipulates that clemency can also be applied in cases, where, in agreement with the foreign country which brings criminal prosecution against Lithuanian citizens, Lithuania seeks the return of its citizens and concurrently enables the respective foreign country to recover its own citizens who are convicted of and serve a sentence for espionage in Lithuania.
The amendments were adopted by 76 votes in favour, with 2 votes against and 8 abstentions.
