Russia has refused to hand the summons to Gorbachev about the call in the Lithuanian court
Moscow. May 2. INTERFAX.RU — Moscow did not deliver the summons to the former President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev, which the Vilnius regional court was invited to act as witness in court proceedings on the events of 13 January 1991 in Lithuania.
“Today, Vilnius regional court has received notification from the Ministry of justice of the Republic of Lithuania that the Ministry of justice refused to grant legal assistance in connection with the service of documents Mikhail Gorbachev”, — quotes the Agency BNS, a press release of the authorities of Lithuania.
It notes that Moscow is motivated by a refusal clause in the agreement between Russia and Lithuania, which States that legal aid is not provided in the case that it may harm the sovereignty, national security, or be contrary to the basic legislative principles of the state.
January 19, Gorbachev said he did not intend any person or in absentia to stand trial in Lithuania January 1991 events. “To what I said earlier on this matter, I have nothing to add,” — said Gorbachev to the question of “Interfax”.
Lithuania wants to question Gorbachev
Lithuanian court in October 2016, decided to interrogate the ex-President of the USSR as a witness. The request was filed by the son of the deceased during the January 1991 events Apolinaras of Povilaitis Robertas Povilaitis and his lawyer. Gorbachev himself previously denied that he gave the order to shoot in Vilnius.
A request for legal assistance to the Ministry of justice were sent in November last year. The status of a special witness given to the person when he’s being questioned about his actions, but the reason for the charges is not enough.
Five years ago, when Lithuanian prosecutors conducted the pre-trial investigation, Russia also refused a request to interview Gorbachev.
The investigation was conducted by the Vilnius
According to the version of the Lithuanian authorities, while trying to storm the Soviet military 13 January 1991 TV tower and the building Committee radio and television in Vilnius, 14 people were killed, 31 were seriously injured, more than 1,000 people were injured in other degrees of severity.
This case is one of the largest in scope and the number of accused cases in the history of the courts in independent Lithuania. The defendants — two people, more than 60 defendants prosecuted in absentia. They are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. The victims in this case — nearly 500 witnesses — about a thousand. It consists of 709 volumes, only one indictment of 13 volumes.
In 1999 in the case concerning the events of 13 January for the creation of anti-state organizations and other crimes six people received prison sentences.