Lithuania Charges Kyrgyz National with Financing Hamas
Lithuanian prosecutors have charged a Kyrgyz national with terrorist financing for allegedly transferring about 200 euros in cryptocurrency to Hamas's armed wing.
Lithuania's State Security Department has announced that a Kyrgyz national holding a temporary residence permit in the country has been charged with financing terrorism. The man, born in 1977, is accused of making several cryptocurrency transfers in the summer of 2025, sending funds to the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas. The total amount transferred is reported to be around 200 euros.
The suspect was arrested on March 21 at Vilnius Airport upon arrival from Istanbul. He has been remanded in custody for three months, the most restrictive measure available under Lithuanian law. According to investigators, he has confessed to the charges. The case has been referred to the Vilnius Regional Court.
The State Security Department stated that the man holds radical Islamist views and is a supporter of Hamas. The charges are based on provisions of the Lithuanian Criminal Code related to crimes defined in international treaties on terrorism financing. Under Lithuanian law, directly or indirectly providing funds or material support for terrorism carries a prison sentence of three to ten years.
Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, is designated a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and others.
