Former MEP from Latvia sued for supporting Russia's aggression

The State Security Service of Latvia (VDD) has initiated a criminal case against the former member of the European Parliament from Latvia Andrejs Mamikins. He is suspected of glorifying and justifying Russia's crimes in Ukraine, Delfi reports.

According to the VDD, the process was initiated in connection with Mamikins's public statements in the Russian propaganda media.

In particular, he believes that the killings of civilians during the Russian occupation of Bucha were staged, as "only black bags were shown."

He calls Russia's invasion of Ukraine a "special operation" and believes that the Russian Federation is doing a "mighty and holy thing" in Ukraine.

Mamikins also claims that he moved to live in Russia "so that his sons do not have to participate in gay parades", and expresses confidence that the monuments of Soviet times in Latvia "will be restored".

Amendments to the citizenship law adopted in Latvia allow the deprivation of citizenship of persons who have provided "substantial financial, material, propaganda, technological or other support to a state or person" who practice genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, threaten territorial integrity, sovereignty or constitutional order of democratic states.

Andrejs Mamikins is a former journalist, a member of the European Parliament from 2014 to 2019. In 2018, the Latvian Russian Union party ran for the Saeima, but the party failed to enter the parliament.

On July 6, 2023, Latvia refused asylum to a citizen of Ukraine who tried to acquire the status of a political refugee on the basis of his pro-Russian sentiments.

On September 28, the Latvian Saeimas supported the National Security Concept, which provides for a ban on public mass media (Latvian Television and Latvian Radio) from speaking in Russian from 2026.