Nearly a hundred people carrying Belarusian flags and banners gathered to support Veremeichik. The banners read "Lukashenko to the Hague", "Matters of veterans and their families should be a priority of international politics", and "VSD (Lithuania’s State Security Department) poses a threat to national security".
One of the organisers of the event, a woman named Tatyana, said that Veremeichik could be charged with terrorism and imprisoned for 20 years or for life, or even executed. She said the goal of the rally was to draw the attention of Lithuanian authorities to help the Belarusian who fought for the freedom of Ukraine and Europe.
Demonstrators called to review legislation and change what is and is not considered as a security threat to Lithuania.
Last week it was reported that Veremeichik who had tried to settle in Lithuania moved to Vietnam but was detained and extradited to Belarus on 14 November.
The State Security Department of Lithuania (VSD) concluded that he posed a threat to national security as he had served in the Belarusian armed forces.
After completing his military service, Veremeichik worked in IT. He participated in protests against Lukashenko in 2020 and was detained for ten days. In 2021, he moved to Ukraine. When Russia invaded Ukraine, he joined the Belarusian volunteer group, the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment, fighting on Ukraine’s side.
The VSD does not rule out that "attempts to escalate the story from the outside could be another information operation against Lithuania".