English12

No. 12, 2014

CENTRE PLUS NEWS LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES AND BODIES (Police, Courts, Prosecution Service)

After arriving in a new country

people feel more vulnerable. The language barrier, different culture, unknown rules and laws force the feelings of insecurity. Therefore, it is important to know, where to turn in times of trouble. The system of Lithuanian law enforcement bodies consists of institutions whose primary purpose is to ensure law and order. Each link of the system performs specific functions, such as: crime prevention, public safety and public order, pre-trial reviews, jurisdiction, the support of public prosecution, defense (advocacy), lawful punishment and re-socialization.

The Lithuanian police works all day and quickly responds to the reports of Lithuanian inhabitants.

It consists of Criminal police, Transport police, Traffic police and Public police. The main tasks of the police are the prevention of crimes and other violations of orders; detection and investigation of crimes; the protection of public order, peace and safety, civil rights, liberties, and property; traffic safety control and emergency assistance to residents. The police protects all the citizens and organizations of the Republic of Lithuania and also all the persons who are in Lithuanian territory and under its jurisdiction irrespective of their nationality, ethnicity, social status, religion and views.

In order to report any illegal activity or a disaster, call the short number 112. For non-emergency assistance, you can send an SMS message on the phone 8 614 34567.

You can send text messages (SMS) and multimedia messages (MMS*) with information about offenses which do not need an immediate assistance at any time of the day.

Sending a text message you must specify the precise circumstances of the incident, time, location or address and other known an event-related information. Also, if you are the authorized user and have confirmed your mobile phone number at the user’s account, you will receive messages (about the delivery process and rulings) from this phone number (8 614 34567) and also the news from ePolicija.lt.

Number 8 614 34567 is not for calls and MMS* service is available only to Omnitel and Bite networks.

In order to report an incident by email you have to fill in a structured form (you can find it on https:// www.epolicija.lt/report-email) and send it to the police via e-mail: epolicija@policija.lt. It is also recommended to add a document signed by e-signature, which will confirm your identity and authenticity of the content of the document.

Centre Plius News No.12, 2014

The state regulates the activities of law enforcement authorities guaranteeing human rights and the protection of legitimate interests. Individuals have the right to apply to any level of authority and get help. Both Lithuanian citizens and other people legally living in Lithuania are entitled to get primary and secondary legal aid for free.

State-guaranteed primary legal aid is the assistance with legal information and legal advice, as well as the preparation of documentsfor state and local authorities, with the exception of judicial The specialist of initial ledocuments. The legal consulta- gal assistance can help tion is no longer than one hour. you to fill out the request.

Contacts for free legal assisIts time may be extended by the tance in Lithuania are availdecision of municipality or the au- able on these links below: thorized person. In order to obtain http://www.teisesgidas.lt/modules/ an initial legal assistance it is not news/article_storyid_112.html. mandatory to declare the income http://www.infolex.lt/portal/start_ and assets. A person has only to refer visuom.asp?act=nemok&poz=1. to the municipal executive authority according to the declared place of residence. He needs to have an identity document and the declaration of residence place. The person can only once to apply on the priaw enforcement authorities – mary legal aid on the same issue. the police, courts, prosecutor service and suchlike bodies operate in Secondary legal aid includes a each rule of law, which is oriented state guaranteed lawyer in a judito ensure the effective protection cial process: preparation of docuof human rights. While the meetments, defense and advocacy, inings with such authorities are not cluding enforcement proceedings, always a pleasant experience, but as well as the representation of inthey are necessary to maintain orterests in the dispute out of court. der and justice. We have asked the Your assets and income level will third-country nationals (hereafter be estimated by a state-guaran– TCNs) who have visited law enteed legal aid service, according forcement institutions in Lithuania, to the data of your annual income to reveal their personal experiences. and property declaration for secondary legal aid and documents A native of Egypt D. A. who is presented with your request. working as IT manager and living For the state-funded lawin Lithuania since 2010, told that yer you shall apply to the his case is going from 2013: “I canstate-guaranteed legal aid sernot complete the deal with the prosvice assigned to the municipality. ecutor’s office from last January.

We hope that the provided information would be helpful to you, and for more information you can always contact the Consultation and information center PLUS. Address: Smetonos str. 5-302; e-mail: centre@tja.lt; phone: (8 5)261 7482.

THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS EXPERIENCES WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES

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Centre Plius News No.12, 2014

I do not know, what else could be done to end the case and stop visiting this institution.” The Egyptian citizen stated that his experience was not pleasant to share: “I will say honestly. I see that the staff works very slowly and does not want to cooperate. Affairs are delayed and my case is going on for the second year. My country is not the member of the EU, but such legal matters are going much faster and easier in Egypt. And in Lithuania, as I have already noted, it takes much longer and is more complicated. ” Asked, if the man had some offers how to improve the work of law enforcement bodies, the Egyptian said: “We, the foreigners, want to regain our rights just as quickly as we have lost them. And I ask but one thing: to respect this. If I respect the laws of Lithuania I want specialists who defend my rights to do everything that depends on them.”

“In fact, I see sharp cultural differences: we have a different understanding of the family, the father and the mother’s rights.

And of course, a very big difficulty is language. This is one of the main reasons for delaying this process.” The man told us that he got a written summons to the police at the time, when he was in Marijampolė. After arriving to the Another Egyptian citizen A. I. police station he found that none smiled and said that he had even of the staff spoke English: “I was become a kind of curious, what lost, I did not know what to do, bewould happen next: “You see, cause I did not speak Lithuanian.

I am living in Lithuania since Then one policeman found a way 2010. When I found a girl here, out: he took me to the main headI was flying to Egypt and back. I quarters. The head of shift spoke can say it was a life on the road. some English. Although imperfect, I was planning that after the marriage I would be able to stay in Lithuania. But events turned completely wrong: she gave a birth to my child and since that moment had completely changed. She does not let me to see my daughter and denies paternity. I am seeking a solution in all possible ways. That’s four years, when I could not find the way out,” – sadly admitted Egyptian. The Egyptian who is trying to entrench in Lithuania said that in communication with law enforcement authorities he felt a big difference between his country and culture:

but he translated the questions and I answered. Yes, we understood each other, although it was not easy,” - shared A. I. Asked if he was satisfied with aid, the Egyptian told us that he felt ambiguous: “On the one hand, I have seen that the police made attempts to redeploy my case and no one wanted to take the responsibility.

I was recommended to apply to the Child Protection Department. And on the other hand, when I asked for a contact information, I was given it in good faith.” Now the man is trying to put down roots in Lithuania. He has a legal job and wants to regain the rights to his daughter.

Centre Plius News No.12, 2014

“I keep on working. After all, this is my child and Lithuania has to defend not only the mother rights, but also the father rights, despite the fact that I am a foreigner”, - the conversation ended the Egyptian.

Human Rights Monitoring Institute Deputy Director for Law Issues Natalia Bitiukova said that the institute aims to develop an open and democratic society consolidating human rights and freedoms since its establishment in 2003.

They organize campaigns such as “Week against Intolerance” and “Human Rights Month”, also issue periodicals. Woman pointed out that the work with the TCNs have only recently started: “Mainly, we are dealing with issues related to hate speech and hate crimes, i.e. crimes committed out of racial, ethnic and other xenophobic motives, and problems encountered by victims.” N. Bitiukova said that they did not face special obstacles until now: “Sometimes we have to spend more time talking about the context - Lithuanian authorities, system, basic laws and to agree to certain terms of use. However, if a person communicates in English

or Russian, problems do not arise.

So far, the communication was going well,” - shared the Deputy Director. She proposed the improvements of legal system: “It is very important to transpose the EU Directive on Crime Victim Rights into Lithuanian legal system correctly. It would be worth to familiarize investigating officers with the problems faced by the victims of hate crimes, i.e. organize inter-cultural training to help in dealing with people of other cultures and religions. It is important to raise the competence of officials,” – noted the woman.

Lithuanian law enforcement system could be improved by working with both law enforcement officials and foreigners informing them of their human rights.

The newspaper is published, implementing the project “Consultation and information centre PLUS” according the European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals, annual Programme 2012

CENTRE PLUS · A.Smetonos street 5, room No 302 · Vilnius Tel.: 85 261 74 82 / 8 605 77 245 Email: centre@tja.lt · www.facebook.com (search for: Centre Plus) Working days: Monday to Friday · Opening hours: 11:30 to 15:30 and 16:30 to 20:30