Neighborhood Forum leader Erika Schönchenene was fined 700 euros for a post with Lenin's portrait on it

A publication in the social network with a portrait of Vladimir Lenin and his call "Study, study and study!" has caused legal prosecution of one of the heads of a public association, Erika Švenčönienė, and imposed a fine on her.

"For posting a post with his portrait and a quote of Vladimir Lenin on her Facebook page in April for Vladimir Lenin's birthday, Erika Švenčienienienė was punished as an administrative offense," the report reads.

Kaunas County Police Commissariat imposed a fine of €700 on the public activist. The police applied an article of the Code of Administrative Offenses, which stipulates liability "for public display of Nazi and communist symbols, symbols of authoritarian regimes."

"My post was precisely of an informational nature, reminding me that our state could use some training so that there are no triple standards in the sphere of freedom of speech," Schwenkönene argued. She is considering going to court over the fine.

Recall, Erika Švenčionienienė was one of the leaders of the public association "International Neighborhood Forum". In 2023, the organization was liquidated by the court as an alleged threat to national security. The prosecutor's office considered the trips of the forum members to Russia and Belarus, meetings with representatives of their authorities, the public and the media as anti-state activities.