Lithuanian border guard service removes photo of officer and detained migrants but stands by its assessment
The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT) has removed a photo from social media showing a border guard, a service dog, and four detained migrants kneeling on the ground following public criticism from human rights advocates, but the agency insists its evaluation of the situation remains unchanged.
In a response to the Elta news agency, VSAT stated that the image was deleted from a specific social media post after assessing the public discussion it sparked and to responsibly manage the service’s official communication channels. However, the agency emphasised that this decision does not reflect a change in its assessment of the photo’s content or the purpose of its publication.
VSAT claimed the photo was intended to inform the public about the reality of border officers’ work during detention operations, not to humiliate or demean the individuals pictured. “The photo was not meant to belittle or humiliate the people depicted. We understand that public opinions may differ, and we respect the right to different views,” the service said.
The image captured a moment immediately after a mission in which a VSAT cynologist and their dog, alongside Latvian colleagues, detained four individuals who had illegally crossed the Latvian state border following a 27-kilometre pursuit. VSAT stated that the situation shown was recorded right after the detention, as officers performed actions required by law to ensure the safety of both the officers and the detained individuals.
The service underscored its respect for human dignity and rights, regardless of a person’s legal status or nationality.
Seimas ombudsman suggests alternative visuals
Erika Leonaitė, head of the Seimas Ombudsman’s Office, argued that other visual means could have been chosen to announce the successful detention operation in Latvia without depicting the detained individuals in a vulnerable position.
“To inform about the assistance to Latvian border guards and the specific detention operation, other visual means could have been selected that do not show detained persons in a compromised position,” Leonaitė told Elta. She noted that the controversial photo was later replaced with neutral illustrations, supporting her point.
Leonaitė stressed that institutional communication should avoid unnecessary humiliation or stigmatisation, even when reporting on lawbreakers. She highlighted that the composition of the photo—showing kneeling migrants with lowered heads alongside a border guard with a service dog—emphasises the vulnerability of the detained individuals and the power dynamic between them and the state.
She also raised questions about why the migrants were in that position, whether it was necessary to make them kneel, and what message the publication of the image was intended to convey. While acknowledging that the faces of the detained individuals were blurred for privacy protection, Leonaitė argued that this alone is insufficient to ensure that public communication upholds the principle of respect for human dignity.
She referenced rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which has noted that actions by officials can violate human dignity if they unjustifiably cause fear, anxiety, or a sense of inferiority in a detained person.
Interior minister responds
Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas also addressed the controversy this week, telling Žinių radijas that he does not support the public humiliation of a working officer.