On Wednesday, the 21st of December, Riga City Council declared Latvian member of the European Parliament and ex-mayor of Riga Nils Ušakovs of having a hidden video surveillance device in his office.
The prosecution office has the right to submit a protest over this verdict. If the office does this, the case will be reviewed again by Riga Regional Court.
Prosecutor Juris Ločmelis told journalists after the announcement of the verdict that at the moment he is unable to comment whether it will be challenged. He intends to study the verdict in more detail first.
Ušakovs, on the other hand, told journalists that he expected as much from the verdict, adding that Latvia is a country ruled by law and such «politically motivated cases» can never end with a guilty verdict.
In his final word, Ušakovs said this criminal case was necessary only to undermine his reputation and make him into a criminal. The criminal procedure against him is a tool to maintain negative public opinion of him and is, in a sense, punishment itself, said the accused.
The politician said that the prosecution was disappointed to learn he knew nothing of the album, even less about its contents, adding that it was likely planted specifically to unjustly accuse him of wrongdoings.
Ušakovs stressed that this was an absolutely political case that had violations of procedures and manipulations with testimonies.
The politician insisted all this time that has never purchased or stored any prohibited equipment and had no idea of the album found in his office or the content of said album. Instead of looking for the ones responsible for bringing it in this office, the investigation simply declared him guilty, he said.
The prosecution office presented Ušakovs with official charges at the end of 2021. He was accused of breaching the section of the Criminal Law that governs prohibition on the movement of specially designed or modified equipment, appliances or instruments. Such acts are punishable with deprivation of freedom for up to two years, community service or a fine, with prohibition to take certain posts for a period of up to five years.
In November 2021 the European Parliament annulled Ušakovs’ immunity as MEP. He still retains MEP authority, as it was provided to him by Latvia – no other country or institution has the authority to take it away from him.
Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) performed a search in his office in Riga City Council. There officers found and confiscated a device believed to be used for surveillance. Later KNAB requested the Prosecutor General’s office permission to commence criminal prosecution of the now ex-mayor of Riga based solely on having found a suspicious device in his office.
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