Lithuania seeks consular access to two citizens detained in Iran as travel warnings come under scrutiny
Lithuania is trying to gain consular access to two women detained in Iran, but with no embassy there, assistance is difficult. Iran is marked black on the Foreign Ministry's travel map, meaning citizens are urged to leave immediately.
Lithuania's Foreign Ministry is trying to secure consular access to two Lithuanian citizens detained in Iran. Because Lithuania has no diplomatic mission in the country, providing help is particularly difficult. The case has drawn attention to the ministry's travel warnings and to the problems diplomats face when citizens get into trouble in countries where Lithuania is not represented.
The ministry confirmed that the two women, whom police in Vilnius had been searching for since October 11, were detained in Iran in mid-October. Iran is marked black on the ministry's travel advisory map, which means Lithuanian citizens are urged to leave the country immediately.
Five warning levels
The ministry sorts countries into five categories by risk level: green, yellow, orange, red and black.
- Green: no specific warnings. Examples include Canada, Finland, Norway, Germany and Poland.
- Yellow: travellers should take precautions. Examples include the United States, Iceland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Kazakhstan.
- Orange: travellers should consider whether the trip is necessary. Examples include Mexico, Egypt, China and Jordan.
- Red: travel is not recommended. Examples include Venezuela, Pakistan, Iraq and Algeria.
- Black: travellers are urged to leave immediately. The list includes Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Mali, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Myanmar, Afghanistan, North Korea and Iran.
The ministry publishes the full map on its website.
Help through other countries
Remigijus Motuzas, a diplomat who chairs the Lithuanian parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, told LRT.lt that assisting citizens detained abroad can be hard, especially where Lithuania lacks diplomatic representation. He described two main tasks for consular help: contacting local authorities to learn why a citizen was detained, and reaching the detainee to assess their situation and make sure their rights are respected. Assistance can also include support for relatives and help obtaining a lawyer.
The women's decision to travel to Iran despite the government's strong warning has raised questions. Motuzas said, however, that the state remains responsible for helping citizens in danger abroad, whether or not they followed official advice. Help is given regardless of how the person came to be there, he said.
When a citizen is detained in a country without a Lithuanian mission, the government asks other European Union member states that may be able to intervene for help. Motuzas said this is also the case with Iran now. Lithuanian authorities want to arrange a consular visit to establish the women's health, their conditions of detention and whether they have access to legal assistance.
