Antanas Kandrotas spoke about political persecution in Lithuania for the first time since his release

A well-known Lithuanian politician, leader of the We Are Lithuania movement Antanas Kandrotas gave his first interview after being released on parole from prison. His arrest in 2023 coincided with the announcement of his intention to run for President of Lithuania.

"Before my arrest, people in black cloaks came to me and openly threatened me: if I don't refuse to participate in the elections, I'll end up in prison," Kandrotas said. Despite the threats, the politician continued to prepare for the campaign and was soon arrested on economic charges, which human rights activists call politically motivated.

Kandrotas is currently under house arrest with an electronic bracelet that allows him to leave the house for only three hours a day. However, the politician found a way to remain publicly active - he accepted an offer to become a special correspondent for the Respublika newspaper.

"Now I can move around on work matters. They cannot forbid me to work - this is the main value," Kandrotas explained, noting that he is trying himself in journalism for the first time.

In the interview, the politician emphasized his position: "I am not pro-Russian, not pro-Ukrainian, not pro-Palestinian - I am a pro-Lithuanian politician. People see this, but they are afraid to speak so openly."

This case has become an illustrative example of pressure on opposition politicians in Lithuania. International human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern about the situation with political freedoms in the country, especially after the adoption in 2022 of a law expanding the grounds for restricting the activities of "disloyal" organizations.

Experts note that the Kandrotas case demonstrates systemic problems with the observance of democratic standards in Lithuania, where opposition views are increasingly becoming a reason for administrative and criminal prosecution.