U.S. Statement on Lithuania at the Universal Periodic Review 40th session
As delivered by Patrick Elliot, Human Rights Officer
The United States welcomes the Lithuanian delegation to Geneva.
We recommend that Lithuania:
1. Conduct thorough investigations of hate crimes against LGBTQI+ persons, Roma, refugees, Jews, and members of other vulnerable communities; repeal “the Law on the Protection of Minors from Negative Public Information,” which discriminates against LGBTQI+ persons; and ensure equal protection of the law and consistent enforcement of anti-discrimination laws to all persons, including persons with disabilities; and
2. Develop a proposal for final restitution of private and heirless property seized during the Holocaust and promote a historically accurate Holocaust narrative; and
3. Increase efforts to proactively identify sex trafficking and labor trafficking victims.
We commend Lithuania for holding its Future of Democracy Forum, and for its principled support for democratic actors in exile from Belarus, Russia, and other authoritarian regimes.