Olekas seeks backing for public child sex offenders register

Lithuanian Parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas expects lawmakers to support amendments creating a public register of people convicted of sexual offences against children, LRT reported on Thursday.

“Given the current environment and the need to prevent such things from happening and protect our children, I believe there should be support for this,” Olekas told reporters.

Olekas and several dozen other members of parliament registered the amendments in August. The proposed list would publish the names, surnames and other basic details of people convicted of offences against children.

It would also include a person’s year of birth, the municipality where they live and the date on which their conviction became final. The list would be available to everyone online without registration.

The information would remain public for five years after the person completes their sentence or an imposed criminal measure. It would then be removed.

Olekas acknowledged that a register alone would not be enough to prevent sexual offences against children. “A clear cultural and mental attitude that we must protect children is also very necessary,” he said.

The proposal comes as prosecutors pursue cases against two priests who worked in the Vilnius Archdiocese. In mid-August, the Prosecutor General’s Office said it had sent to court a case in which a Roman Catholic priest was charged with sexual offences against minors.

The priest faces 34 charges involving the sexual abuse of children, possession of pornographic material and involving children in drinking. He allegedly committed the offences over more than 20 years.

The case is linked to another criminal case sent to court at the end of June. In that case, another priest who also worked in the Vilnius Archdiocese was charged with possessing pornographic material.

Although the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Vilnius Archdiocese have declined to identify the accused priests, the article names them as 56 year old Tadas Švedavičius and 51 year old Ryšardas Peciunas.

On February 26, a prosecutor from the Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office imposed a temporary restriction on Švedavičius’ property. In August, the Vilnius Regional Court extended the restriction for another six months.

Vilnius Archbishop Gintaras Grušas previously said that Švedavičius acknowledged his guilt, had asked to be dismissed from the priesthood and promised to compensate the victims. Peciunas denies the charges.