The Lithuanian court has rejected a prosecutor's request to extend the incarceration of V. German, shifting to milder measures including intensive supervision and bail, but further legal challenges may prolong his detention.
On February 6, Elena MartinonienÄ—, the head of the Communications Department of the General Prosecutor's Office in Lithuania, confirmed that the court refused the prosecutor's request to extend the pre-trial detention of V. German. Instead, the accused is now subject to less severe measures, specifically intensive supervision for six months and a bail of 1 million euros. These new conditions will take effect from February 16, when his current detention period expires.
However, on February 9, a prosecutor from the Organized Crime and Corruption Investigation Department appealed to the Lithuanian Court of Appeal, asking to overturn the previous court decision regarding the application of the new measures for V. German and to extend his detention by an additional two months. German has already spent almost a year and a half in custody as his detention was continuously extended, raising concerns about the implications of long-term incarceration without a conviction.
Under Lithuanian law, an accused person can be held in pre-trial detention for a maximum of 18 months. This ongoing legal battle highlights issues regarding the balance between the rights of the accused and the needs of justice, especially in cases involving organized crime where prosecutors seek to ensure that suspects remain available for trial while navigating the judicial system's limitations and legal standards.
