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Lithuanian Court Convicts Governing-Party Leader of Inciting Hatred, Fines Him €5,000

The Vilnius district court found Remigijus Žemaitaitis guilty of inciting hatred against Jews and fined him €5,000 (about $5,800). The ruling followed social media posts and public remarks from May–June 2023 that the court said degraded human dignity and minimized the Holocaust. Prosecutors had sought a €51,000 fine and payments to a victims' fund; Žemaitaitis denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal. He resigned from parliament in 2024 after a constitutional court ruling but returned as leader of Nemuno Aušra, which sits in the governing coalition.

08:51 PM, 12/04/2025Politics
Lithuanian Court Convicts Governing-Party Leader of Inciting Hatred, Fines Him €5,000

Vilnius District Court Rules Against Remigijus Žemaitaitis

A district court in Vilnius on Thursday found Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of Nemuno Aušra — a party in Lithuania's coalition government — guilty of inciting hatred against Jews and fined him €5,000 (about $5,800).

Judge Nida Vigelienė concluded the defendant used language that was degrading, violated human dignity and "demonstrated hatred" toward Jewish people. The court said Žemaitaitis's statements grossly downplayed the crimes of Nazi Germany and minimized the Holocaust in an offensive and insulting manner.

The case stems from social media posts and public remarks made in May and June 2023. Among the contested remarks, Žemaitaitis wrote:

"Apparently, for our journalists and local Lithuanian Jews, the demolition of schools in Palestine is yet another pastime?!"
He also quoted an antisemitic nursery rhyme and made comments about events of World War II.

Prosecutors had sought a far heavier penalty: a €51,000 fine (around $60,000) and an order to pay into a fund for victims of crimes. The court imposed the lower fine but emphasized that the rhetoric exceeded the boundaries of protected freedom of expression.

Žemaitaitis denies wrongdoing and was not present for the ruling; he said afterward that the decision was "politicized" and is expected to appeal. Earlier, in 2024, he resigned from parliament after the constitutional court found his statements breached his oath and violated the constitution. He later returned to politics as leader of Nemuno Aušra, which joined a coalition government led by the center-left Social Democrats. Žemaitaitis is not a member of Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė's cabinet.

The Social Democrats posted on Facebook that antisemitism, hate speech and Holocaust denial are unacceptable and incompatible with their values. They said they respect the court's decision but noted it is not yet final.

Legal and Political Context

This ruling highlights tensions in Lithuania over hate speech, historical memory and the limits of public discourse by elected officials. The outcome may be appealed and could prompt further political debate within the governing coalition.

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