Latvia detains ex-MP in Russia probe

Latvian authorities temporarily detained Aleksejs Rosļikovs, a former lawmaker and current leader of the country’s ethnic Russian party, authorities confirmed to POLITICO.

The State Security Services said he is currently a suspect in a criminal investigation, but was released after interrogation on Monday. The security agency also conducted searches at four locations connected to Rosļikovs.

The move comes days after the VDD opened an investigation into whether the former MP provided assistance to “the aggressor state Russia in action directed against Latvia” and incited “national hatred and enmity.”

On June 5, parliamentarians voted to expel Rosļikovs from the assembly for “unethical conduct” after he spoke Russian on the parliament floor, which is against parliamentary regulations. While opposing a law that would require certain Russian-speaking residents to pass a Latvian language exam, the then-MP shouted, “There are more of us, our language is Russian!” and made an obscene hand gesture.

The security services opened their probe on suspicion that Rosļikovs’ speech and “other recent activities” violated laws on Russian assistance and inciting ethnic hatred, but did not specify which incidents it was referring to.

If convicted, Rosļikovs could face up to 20 years in prison.

“I didn’t do anything illegal,” Rosļikovs said on Monday, after being released, denying that he aided Russia and calling the charges politically motivated.

In 2021, Rosļikovs founded the For Stability! party, advocating for the ethnic Russian population in Latvia, which currently holds nine out of 100 seats in the parliament. He resigned from parliament after being elected to the Riga City Council on June 7.