New checkings in Lithuania connected with scandal around Byalyatski's case

Chief Commission on professional ethics suspects that the same officials who "handed in" documents against HR defender "investigated" the incident.

The Ministry of Justice was presented by Andrada Bavyayan in the working group which investigated the circumstances of disclaiming the information about Ales Byalyatski's bank accounts to the Belarusian authorities. It was the same lady who signed the documents concerning the Belarusian human rights defender before passing them to Minsk.

In connection with that, the Lithuanian Chief Commission on professional ethics started checking with regard to other members of the working group - Vice-Minister Thomas Vaitkjavichus and Deputy Chairman of the International Law Department Darius Zhylus - last week. The Commission will find out whether the officials investigated their own deeds in the incident with Ales Byalyatski.

The Ministry of Justice claims that the mentioned group did not clarify the issues of the officials' responsibility but was created to find out all circumstances and dangers of cooperation with foreign colleagues. The checking of the officials' actions was held separately, and Bavyayan got a warning and an urgent attestation, the Lithuanian Ministry of Justice informs.