Vilnius prosecutors instructed to probe sexual harassment allegations

However, prosecutors noted that sexual harassment was subject to statute of limitations, i.e., three years.

According to the Penal Code, a person who, in seeking sexual contact or satisfaction, harasses a person subordinate to him in office or otherwise by vulgar or comparable actions or by making offers or hints shall be considered to have committed a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine or by restriction of liberty or by arrest.

“According to the provisions of the article, a person who committed a criminal deed cannot be convicted, if three years have already passed since the criminal offense, however, the statute of limitations is counted from the last established criminal deed. This means that if a person has committed other criminal deeds within the past three years, he may have to also answer for the deeds he committed more than three years ago,” the prosecutors said in a press release.

Last week, sexual harassment, humiliation and other undue conduct allegations were brought against lecturers of the Vilnius Academy of Art (VDA) Jonas Gasiūnas and Arvydas Liepuonius who resigned amid the allegations, photographer Gintautas Trimakas who is still employed at the institution, theater director Jonas Vaitkus teaching at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater. Two female artists have earlier accused film director Šarūnas Bartas of such misconduct.

Sexual harassment suspicions have been brought by prosecutors against former MP Kęstutis Pūkas.