Prosecutor provides more details on pen found at meeting

Prosecutors have closed an investigation into a pen containing a secret audio recorder found at a Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) council meeting, determining there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges. The device, discovered in April, belonged to a journalist, according to the party.

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Yes. She (Samoškaitė) gave testimony. Not enough data was collected (confirming the intent to record) and after the investigation, her questioning, and evaluation of other data, the purpose of collecting information was not established. It was not established that an attempt was made to record, that she sought to record. There was no recording of the meeting in the pen itself. Information related to the meeting or the political party was not in the pen.

Stanislovas Barsulis, the prosecutor overseeing the preliminary investigation, stated that the pen contained no recordings related to the political party or the council meeting itself. He explained that while the journalist provided testimony, the investigation did not uncover sufficient data to confirm an intent to record or to gather information about the party's closed-door session.

The investigation examined various pieces of evidence, including witness testimonies from LSDP members and individuals not directly connected to the party, as well as video footage and photographs. Ultimately, prosecutors concluded that no criminal offense had been committed, as there was no objective proof of the journalist's intention to illegally record the proceedings.

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Such a decision was made after establishing that no act with the characteristics of a crime or offense was committed.

The LSDP had filed a police report following the discovery of the pen, suspecting it was used for covert recording. However, the prosecutor's decision to discontinue the investigation means the case will not proceed, as the evidence did not meet the threshold for criminal charges. The decision can be appealed to a higher prosecutor.

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It should be noted that suspicion or accusation cannot be based on assumptions. The decision to terminate the preliminary investigation states that after all necessary investigative actions were carried out, no irrefutable, unquestionable factual circumstances and objective data were established or obtained confirming that a criminal offense related to the LSDP council meeting held on April 16 of this year and the journalist's pen-recorder found during it was committed, therefore the preliminary investigation must be terminated.