Jonavos mayor awarded damages after activist convicted of defamation

A Lithuanian court has sentenced activist Andrejus Lobovas to two years of restricted freedom for defamation against Jonava District Mayor Mindaugas Sinkevičius, state broadcaster LRT reports.

The Kaunas Regional Court ruled on Tuesday that Lobovas had falsely accused Sinkevičius and other municipal employees of serious crimes—including child trafficking, abuse of office, and participation in a criminal group—in a 2024 Facebook post. The court found the claims to be baseless and defamatory.

In addition to the restricted freedom sentence, Lobovas must complete a behavioral correction program and perform 100 hours of unpaid community service over 10 months in healthcare or social care institutions. He is also prohibited from contacting the victims in the case.

The court rejected prosecutors’ request to ban Lobovas from using social media, citing insufficient grounds. Judges noted that the defamatory post was made nearly two years ago, that no new similar investigations had been opened, and that Lobovas also used his account for artistic promotion.

Sinkevičius, who leads the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, denied all allegations during the trial. The court fully upheld civil claims from four victims, ordering Lobovas to pay both material and non-material damages, as well as procedural costs to one victim and the Jonava Social Services Center.

Lobovas, a repeat offender with six prior convictions, was previously given a suspended two-year prison sentence in a separate case for inciting riots near the Seimas (parliament). That ruling is still under appeal.

The latest verdict remains subject to appeal.