Sinkevičius says child sex offenders should not be hidden from public

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius supports initiatives that would allow the public to learn the identities of people who have committed sexual offences against children, LRT reported Tuesday.

“I would personally support such an initiative,” Sinkevičius told journalists at the Presidential Palace, adding that he first wanted to examine the legal situation in detail.

His comments followed the Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office referring a case to court involving a priest who worked in the Vilnius Archdiocese. The priest is accused of molesting minors, sexually assaulting a minor and a young child, satisfying sexual desire for payment in violation of a minor’s sexual freedom and inviolability, exploiting a child for pornography, possessing child sexual abuse material and involving a child in drinking.

According to law enforcement authorities, the alleged offences took place from 2002 until June 2025 and involved 11 victims.

The prosecutor’s office and representatives of the Vilnius Archdiocese declined to identify the accused priest, saying he was not a public figure.

Sinkevičius said the case could encourage efforts to amend the law and establish rules for identifying and disclosing the identities of people accused or convicted of such offences. He predicted that Parliament would consider legal initiatives in the autumn.

In 2024, the Seimas approved the submission of a bill proposing a register of suspects, defendants and people convicted of crimes against children’s sexual freedom and inviolability.

Under the proposal, the register would include a restricted database accessible to courts, law enforcement agencies and other institutions where provided for by law, as well as a public database listing people convicted of such offences. The government issued a negative opinion on the bill in March last year.