Vilnius court rules to hear Kusaite's case behind closed doors

On Thursday, December 23, the District Court of Vilnius ruled that the case of Egle Kusaite would be considered in the closed regime. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about it by Vitautas Mezhrikaitis, a human rights defender from the Lithuanian Public Association "Save All Chechen Children".

According to Mr Mezhrikaitis, this court's decision caused outrage not only among journalists and rights advocates, but also among ordinary citizens who came to the courtroom because of interest to the case. "None of the public has expected it. It could seem that after such a resonance, in fact at the international level, the trial should be open and demonstrative," the human rights activist said.

Nevertheless, Judge Virginia Shvedene, chair of the board of judges, asked at the session on December 23 all the persons not involved in the trial to leave the courtroom. "After some time, Egle Kusaite also came out: the sitting was cancelled because Egle's advocate asked to disqualify the panel of judges," said Vitautas Mezhrikaitis.

Egle was convinced that the court had no intention to objectively consider her case. "They want to imprison me and break in this way. It is the intention to execute me," she told journalists. The girl also said that the petition to hold the trial in camera was submitted by the General Prosecutor's Office of Lithuania.

According to Egle Kusaite, the challenge of the board of judges claimed by her was ignored by the court; however, they had to perform the action, when such a petition was moved by her advocate.