Lithuanian appeals court to rule on milder sentence for convicted spy for Russia

VILNIUS - The Lithuanian Court of Appeals is expected to rule on Tuesday on whether to reduce the sentence of a former Lithuanian serviceman convicted of spying for Russia. 

In June, a court in the northern city of Siauliai found two persons guilty of spying for Russia and sentenced both of them to four years and nine months in prison.

One of them lodged an appeal, asking for a milder sentence. 

"We appeal because there was no organized group, and the punishment should be reduced accordingly," Adomas Liutvinskas, the convict's lawyer, has told BNS. 

One of the convicts worked at the Lithuanian Air Force's air base in Siauliai at the time of detention and the other had already retired. 

Both of them admitted their guilt.

Starting in the fall of 2014, the espionage activities at the air base involved photographing official documents, the layouts of premises and the airport, plans and facilities, and orders and decisions by the command, and other non-public but not classified data for a foreign intelligence agency, according to the case-file.

Secret meetings with Russian intelligence officers were held only in Russia or other foreign countries.

Both persons were detained on December 11, 2017 after law enforcement officers received information from Lithuanian intelligence agencies on the transfer of information to a foreign intelligence body and suspected espionage activities.