The State Security Service on June 17 asked the prosecutor’s office to press charges against Latvian citizen Dmitrijs Matajevs for publicly justifying Russia’s war against Ukraine and inciting national and ethnic hatred, LETA learned.
As reported, criminal proceedings against the man were initiated on March 26 when the Security Service found a number of video messages in Russian posted by this person on the video sharing platform TikTok, the service informed LETA. The videos expressed support for Russia and its military aggression against Ukraine, and the man made aggressive remarks about Latvians and other residents of Latvia who support Ukraine.
On April 25, the Security Service also conducted a search at a facility near Riga linked to the individual. Several data carriers, the man’s notes, as well as clothing and other items with Russian and Soviet symbols were seized for further investigation.
The suspect had already come to the Security Service’s attention in 2023 for aggressive and pro-Russia comments posted to Facebook. In August 2023, the Security Service conducted preventive talks with Matajevs, warning the man that criminal proceedings could be launched against him because of his activities on the Internet.
The suspect was held in custody.
Matajev’s TikTok account contains dozens of videos intended to support the narrative of Latvia as a failed state.
Source: BNS
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