Sienos Grupė

When questioned as a witness on 10 March 2023, a junior specialist of the Švenčionys Border Checkpoint of the Vilnius Border Detachment stated that his duties include control of the border legal regime, detention of persons who have entered the territory of the country without documents, control of illegally transported excisable goods, and other tasks. On 22 October 2022, his working day at the Švenčionys Border Checkpoint began at 8:00 a.m.; his assignment was to work in a mobile patrol, with a team consisting of two junior specialists.

On that day, via radio communication, he received a report to urgently proceed towards Žydeliai village, as a group of persons of darker complexion, possibly having entered the country without documents, had been spotted in a farmer’s fields. While heading to the location, an additional report was received indicating that the group had already been detained by another mobile guard unit.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers of the Švenčionys Border Checkpoint had already detained a group of 13 persons — 12 men without documents and 1 woman with a document, all adults. It was established that the persons had illegally crossed the state border from the Republic of Belarus into the Republic of Lithuania, possibly via the Dysna River, in the border area of the Tverečius Border Checkpoint. Communication took place in English.

One of the detainees had a leg injury and was unable to walk; his leg was wrapped with clothing and a plastic bag. Transport was dispatched, and all detainees were taken to the Švenčionys Border Checkpoint. There, food packages were distributed, tea was offered, and for the person with health problems an ambulance was called. An open leg fracture was diagnosed, and the person was transported to Vilnius Lazdynai University Hospital.

Three persons with leg pain were taken to the local hospital for additional examination. These persons were provided with footwear and special compression socks, and their fit was checked. Thereafter, following consultations with the checkpoint leadership and pursuant to the Resolution of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania of 13 September 2022 “On the Introduction of a State of Emergency” No. XIV-1413, 12 persons without documents were refused entry into the territory of the Republic of Lithuania and returned to the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

At 9:09 p.m., the 12 persons without documents were pushed back to Belarus between state border markers No. 1407–1408, while the person with the leg injury remained hospitalized at Lazdynai University Hospital.

When questioned as a witness, the shift supervisor of the Vilnius Airport Border Checkpoint stated that her duties include supervision of officers, case file preparation, responsibility for admitting and refusing persons entry into the Schengen Area, assistance to police officers, and other tasks. On 31 October 2022, while on duty at the premises of Vilnius Airport, Rodūnios Road 2, Vilnius, at approximately 2:48 p.m., she received a report from an officer of the Criminal Intelligence Division of the State Border Guard Service (she could not recall the name and surname at the time of questioning) that eight Sri Lankan nationals might attempt to depart for Paris on flight No. BT965 at 3:20 p.m. As the shift supervisor, she and her colleagues promptly proceeded to boarding gate A15. Upon arrival, boarding for the flight to Paris was in progress.

While profiling passengers, she observed that four Sri Lankan nationals approached the boarding gate. The officers identified them as Sri Lankan nationals based on their appearance. She and other officers approached the said individuals in order to check them. She requested documents in English and asked about their destination. One of the nationals spoke English and stated that they were traveling to Paris and that their documents were in France; on their mobile phones they showed French identity cards. The said four nationals stated that they did not have any identity documents with them.

The officers then checked other passengers traveling to Paris. During the checks, another four nationals who attempted to depart without documents were detained at the boarding gate. At the end of the line, one more passenger traveling to Paris was checked; when asked to present documents, he produced a Sri Lankan passport. This person stated that he had arrived in Lithuania from Paris and had been visiting a friend in Kaunas; as later became clear, this national was the guide.

All nine Sri Lankan nationals were taken to the second-line control area for a more detailed inspection of belongings and verification of document authenticity. While being escorted from the boarding gate to the control area, one of the nationals asked to walk a bit more slowly. During the inspection of the Sri Lankan nationals’ belongings, mobile phones and empty wallets were found; the Sri Lankan nationals had neither hand luggage nor checked baggage. All of them were wearing new tracksuits and new shoes. All appeared very neat, presumably in order not to arouse suspicion.

During the interview, the Sri Lankan nationals admitted to the officers that they were indeed from Sri Lanka. Among the detained persons was a Sri Lankan national who had a Sri Lankan identity card (data not disclosed). Initially, he did not complain about his health condition; however, when a personal search was initiated and he was asked to remove his shoes, a very bad smell spread and injured feet with open wounds were observed. The sight and the smell were horrific. The duty officer of the Vilnius Border Detachment was immediately informed and emergency medical services were called. The medics immediately transported the said national to the Republican Vilnius University Hospital. Subsequently, as far as the witness is aware, officers guarded the said person at the hospital and later reported that doctors had told him that both of his lower limbs would need to be amputated, but he refused.

Pre-trial investigation No. 02-2-00056-23.