Parliament rejects bid to scrap criminal liability for insulting judges

Lithuania’s Seimas has rejected a proposal to abolish criminal liability for publicly humiliating judges, LRT reported. The amendments to the Criminal Code, initiated by Vytautas Sinica, failed to secure approval at the proposal stage on Tuesday.

Eighteen lawmakers voted in favour, 43 against and 29 abstained.

Sinica argued that judges can control court proceedings and discipline participants. Presenting the bill, he said it would allow people to criticise judges and court decisions more sharply in public and would expand the limits of freedom of expression.

He also said the judiciary was currently more legally protected from criticism and stronger statements than other state institutions.

Opposing the bill, Seimas member Tomas Tomilinas criticised Sinica, saying the right to criticise courts already existed but did not include the right to insult, belittle or mock them.

“You are systematically undermining the foundations of a democratic state,” Tomilinas said. “You, like a true vandal, are entering our system with a pig’s head and trying to smash everything.”

Under the current Criminal Code, anyone who publicly humiliates a court or judge administering justice through an action, spoken or written words because of their activities may be punished with community service, a fine, restriction of liberty, arrest or imprisonment for up to two years.