During his Wednesday visit to the Seimas Committee on Legal Affairs, Prosecutor General Darius Valys said that either this month or next month, requests to change suspicions against the first 20 suspects in the January 13 case would reach court.
"If not this month, then early next month we will issue a statement on turning to a pre-trial judge over the change of suspicions against the first 20 suspects," Valys said.
All in all, suspicions in absentia have been brought against 81 persons in the January 13 case.
"I am assured that a decision will be made on that shortly," the prosecutor general told MPs.
In January, the Prosecutor General's Office said it hoped to finish the case on criminal acts during the January 13, 1991, events in Lithuania and send letters to Russia and Belarus about suspects of war crimes residing in the countries.
81 persons residing in foreign countries, including Russia and Belarus, are the subjects of the ongoing investigation on war crimes and crimes against humanity in Lithuania. Suspects include persons who held high-ranking positions in the Soviet Ministries of Defense, the Interior as well as the State Security Committee (KGB) in Lithuania and also those who took part or assisted in the January 13, 1991, events.
Some 14 people were killed during an attempt by the Soviet army and special forces to take over Vilnius TV Tower on January 13, 1991, and more than 1,000 unarmed civilians were injured.
