Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) detained former parliamentarian Aleksejs Rosļikovs on 16 June, following criminal charges related to his Russian-language outburst in parliament, Latvian Television reported.
The VDD opened criminal proceedings against Rosļikovs on 9 June on suspicion of assisting the aggressor state Russia in actions against Latvia and inciting national hatred and discord.
The case stems from Rosļikovs’ conduct during a 5 June parliamentary session, when he was expelled from the Saeima for rudeness and speaking Russian. During debate on a draft resolution titled “Declaration on the criminal Russification of Latvia by the Soviet occupation regime and the elimination of its linguistic consequences,” Rosļikovs took the podium to oppose including the project on the agenda.
At the end of his speech, he shouted a phrase in Russian that translates as: “There are more of us, our language is Russian!”
Following the incident, Rosļikovs told Latvian Television he did not regret his actions. “This was his response to restrictions on his native language, Russian,” the broadcaster reported.
The VDD had previously warned Rosļikovs “several times in preventive conversations about the expected criminal liability,” according to the security service.
Investigators identified signs of criminal offenses under Article 81.1 and Article 78 of the Criminal Law – assistance to a foreign state in actions directed against the Republic of Latvia, and inciting national hatred and discord. State officials face up to 20 years imprisonment for assisting foreign states in actions directed against Latvia.
The State Language Center initiated administrative violation proceedings regarding Rosļikovs’ actions, while the State Police will review complaints from several Saeima deputies about his conduct.
Rosļikovs, who represented the “Stability!” party, lost his parliamentary mandate after being elected to Riga City Council, meaning he can no longer be punished for potential ethics violations in his former role as MP.
Former President Valdis Zatlers commented that the deputy was trying to address his voters and that the incident demonstrated why it is important to participate in elections.