Lithuanian prison service ordered to pay convicted gang leader €11.50 in legal costs

A Lithuanian regional court has partially upheld a complaint by Saulius Velečka, the imprisoned leader of the criminal group known as the “Agurkinių” gang, ordering the Lithuanian Prison Service (LKT) to pay him €11.50 in legal expenses, LRT reports.

The case stems from a 2024 decision by Vilnius Prison to increase Velečka’s monthly spending limit for personal items by €55 as an incentive, only for the LKT director to later overturn it based on a recommendation from the prison’s advisory commission. The commission cited Velečka’s alleged involvement in activities disrupting prison order and his inclusion on a list of inmates prone to escape attempts.

Velečka challenged the decision, arguing he had never attempted to escape and had actively sought work—claiming he had held a full-time position as an assistant director at an NGO from 2020 to 2023 and currently operates a legally approved individual business within the prison. He denied ties to criminal subcultures, stating he had even proposed a plan to reduce their influence.

The court ruled that the LKT’s rejection of his appeal was unlawful because the decision had been signed by a senior specialist lacking authority to overrule the prison director. While the court did not address the broader merits of Velečka’s complaint, it annulled the LKT’s decision and ordered a review, awarding him partial compensation for legal costs.

Prison records cited in the ruling described Velečka as refusing work, tolerating subcultures, and engaging in behavior that destabilizes prison security—a characterization he disputed, insisting he had demonstrated initiative and compliance.