A Lithuanian court found ex-Soviet military officials guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity on Wednesday for their roles in a 1991 crackdown again the Baltic state's pro-independence movement.
Only two, former tank commander Yuri Mel, and ex-Soviet officer Gennady Ivanov, of the 67 accused were present as judge Ainora Kornelija Maceviciene read the verdict in a Vilnius court.
All 67, including ex-Soviet defense minister Dmitry Yazov, the highest-ranking person on the list of accused, were found guilty and received sentences of between four and 14 years in prison.
The trial was attended by men who took part in the January 1991 pro-independence movement, which saw fourteen civilians were killed by the Soviet army.
All but one of those killed, prosecutors said, during the storming of the state television headquarters and TV tower. More than 700 others were wounded.
Lawyers representing the accused have said they would appeal against their client's sentences.
Many of the accused were sentenced in absentia as are residing outside of Lithuania.
Robertas Povilaitis, whose father was killed in the January 1991 events, said that the most important thing for him, was that those who organised and implemented crimes against civilians have been sentenced by a court.
Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite also praised the outcome of the trial.
Speaking from Rome, where she is opening the country's new embassy, she said that the guilty have been named for the killings of people who peacefully protected their freedom.
Lithuania became the first Soviet republic in March 1990 to declare independence from Moscow. The Soviet Union was formally dissolved in December 1991.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: www.kam.lt / Wikipedia (GNU Free Documentation License)