Vilnius court to rule in 2021 parliament riot case

Vilnius Regional Court will issue its ruling on Wednesday in the case over the 2021 riots near Lithuania’s parliament, LRT reports. The court heard the case on appeal, so its decision will take effect immediately.

Additional police forces are expected to maintain public order as the panel of judges announces the ruling. Those convicted are not required to attend the hearing.

The panel completed its review of more than 60 appeals in April. Most of the convicted defendants are seeking acquittal. The Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office has also appealed the first-instance judgment, asking the court to convict one person who was acquitted of taking part in the riots.

Prosecutors are also seeking to overturn the suspension of prison sentences for defendants classified as repeat offenders. They argue that the defendants should reimburse the costs of state-appointed lawyers.

The appeal ruling can be challenged before the Supreme Court of Lithuania under cassation proceedings.

In September 2025, Vilnius City District Court found 84 of the 87 defendants guilty of rioting. Two people were acquitted, while the charges against one defendant were changed from participation in riots to resisting police officers. Seventeen defendants were classified as repeat offenders.

Six people were exempted from criminal liability under suretyship. Two received restriction of liberty sentences, three were given immediate prison sentences and 75 had their prison sentences suspended.

Among those convicted were Lithuanian language and literature teacher Astra Genovaitė Astrauskaitė, who was also found guilty of publicly calling for violence to violate Lithuania’s sovereignty. She received a two-year and two-month prison sentence, suspended for one and a half years.

Antanas Kandrotas, known by the nickname Celofanas, was sentenced to four years in prison for rioting. He had previously been convicted of financial crimes and has received prison sentences in several other criminal cases. Kandrotas left for Belarus and did not enter prison. Lithuania has initiated extradition proceedings against him.

Protest activist Andrejus Lobovas received a suspended two-year prison sentence. Combat sports representative Arnoldas Misiūnas was sentenced to one year and 11 months in prison, with the sentence suspended for one and a half years.

The defendants were also ordered to pay between 500 and 2,000 euros each to the Fund for Victims of Crime within one year of the judgment taking effect. The total payments amount to 142,000 euros. Civil claimants were awarded approximately 112,400 euros in damages.

The pre-trial investigation began after events near parliament on August 10, 2021. A protest against COVID-19 restrictions that had been held there since morning escalated into riots after demonstrators blocked the entrances to parliament. Public Security Service and riot police forces were deployed and used tear gas and physical force against the protesters.