On Friday, the Riga Regional Court found former Saeima (parliament) deputy Jānis Ādamsons guilty of spying for Russia and sentenced him to eight years and two months in prison, along with two years of probation supervision.
The ruling may still be appealed to the Supreme Court.
In November 2023, the court of first instance had also found Ādamsons guilty of espionage charges and sentenced him to eight years and six months in prison with two years of probation supervision.
Today, the Regional Court decided to overturn the Riga City Court’s verdict in the part concerning Ādamsons’ conviction and punishment under the Criminal Law for minor fraud. As a result, his prison sentence was reduced by six months. The court ruled that the criminal proceedings regarding two minor fraud offences should be terminated.
The security measures imposed on Ādamsons — notification of any change of residence, a ban on leaving the country, and bail — were left unchanged until the verdict enters into force. If the judgment remains in force, the bail of €30,000 will be returned to the person who paid it, Ginta Uselė-Ādamsone.
The appellate court also found Russian citizen and former KGB officer Genādijs Silonovs guilty of espionage
and sentenced him to seven years in prison with two years of probation supervision. In the first instance, Silonovs had been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison, also with two years of probation supervision.
Ādamsons was charged under three articles of the Criminal Law — espionage, minor fraud, and the acquisition and possession of firearm ammunition without the required permit. The former MP was also accused of minor fraud related to fuel expense reimbursements amounting to approximately €100. In addition, several dozen cartridges were found in his possession.
Regarding the alleged espionage, information available to the news agency LETA indicates that law enforcement authorities suspect Ādamsons of more than 40 separate episodes.
Ādamsons is suspected of having passed information to Russia over a four-year period up until his arrest.
Unofficial information suggests that he provided both publicly available documents — such as various draft amendments to laws, information on military procurement and the defence budget — as well as information gathered after visiting Latvia’s eastern border, and details about the Baltic Assembly’s position on Nord Stream 2. According to unofficial sources, he also used his parliamentary computer to transmit information.
Latvian Television’s investigative programme De facto reported that during the first hearings at the court of first instance, Ādamsons was questioned about money transfers to his daughter, which the prosecution considers to be payments from Russia to the politician.
According to the prosecutor, Ādamsons received remuneration for espionage, with the money transferred to his daughter in Russia. Ādamsons called these allegations absurd, claiming that he himself had given money to Silonovs — usually €100–200 every couple of months — so that Silonovs could deposit it into his daughter’s bank account in Russia.
Ādamsons was also questioned about visits to Moscow,
during which he met individuals whose identities could not be verified because he refused to provide their full names to the court. The prosecution believes that Ādamsons supplied information specifically to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
Ādamsons has previously categorically denied passing information to the FSB, although he acknowledged knowing Silonovs. Silonovs also denied having any ties to the Russian Federal Security Service.
Case materials show that some of the information passed by Ādamsons to Silonovs was supplied to him by former KGB investigator Andris Strautmanis and former State Security Service officer Artūrs Šmaukstelis. Their involvement in espionage was not proven. However, Strautmanis was charged in another criminal case, while Šmaukstelis agreed to a suspended prison sentence for disclosing state secrets and other classified information.
The State Security Service (VDD) detained Ādamsons on suspicion of espionage in the summer of 2021.
Following his arrest, the court ordered his detention, but in December 2021 allowed him to post €30,000 bail for release. The bail was paid, and Ādamsons was released from custody in January 2022. The prosecutor has now imposed additional security measures on the politician.
In December 2021, a majority in the Saeima approved the Prosecutor General’s request to initiate criminal prosecution against Ādamsons. After his arrest, Ādamsons decided to leave the political party Harmony but did not relinquish his parliamentary mandate.
In parliament, Ādamsons served on the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee, and the Subcommittee on Baltic Affairs. Although he did not hold security clearance for state secrets, he was entitled to attend meetings of the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, where officials present restricted-access information.
He was also active in several parliamentary friendship groups, including those promoting cooperation with the parliaments of Israel, China and Belarus. From January 2019, Ādamsons chaired the parliamentary group for cooperation with the Russian parliament.
During the Soviet era, Ādamsons held various positions in the USSR Navy. After Latvia restored its independence, he served as Deputy Commander of the Latvian Naval Forces and later as Commander of the Border Guard Brigade before entering politics. Ādamsons continues to receive a military pension paid by Russia.
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