Lithuania restricts public disclosure of conscription data after privacy concerns

Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence has formed a working group to review the public disclosure of conscription data and has already stopped publishing certain details about conscripts, state news agency BNS reported Friday.

The move follows criticism from the Seimas Ombudsman’s Office, which in February raised concerns that the current practice of publishing extensive personal data on conscripts may violate privacy rights and pose national security risks. The ministry confirmed it will no longer disclose the time conscripts must report to healthcare institutions for medical examinations.

A working group, established by order of Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas, has until June 30, 2026, to propose new technical and informational solutions to replace the current system of publishing conscript data on the military’s website karys.lt. The ministry stated the group will assess alternatives to ensure transparency while addressing privacy and security issues.

The debate began after Ignas Plunksnis, a conscript, filed complaints with both the Ombudsman and a court, arguing that the military had refused his request to remove his personal data from public lists. His legal case remains pending in the Supreme Administrative Court, but he has also initiated a separate claim against the military, citing new arguments.

Plunksnis, supported by the Young Voters’ Association (JRDA), advocates for abolishing public conscription lists entirely. Instead, they propose allowing individuals to check their status only by entering partial personal identification details—similar to systems used in Estonia and Finland. The JRDA has also taken legal action against the ministry, accusing it of failing to treat conscription data as a matter of public administration and “hiding behind national security.”

Under current law, Lithuania publishes annual conscription lists—including 42,556 individuals this year—with details such as first initial, surname, birth date, conscription status, and region of residence. While the Ombudsman acknowledged the need for transparency, it recommended restricting public access to data that could be exploited by “hostile states.” Instead, it suggested conscripts should verify their status privately via the sauktiniai.karys.lt portal using their name, birth date, and partial ID number.