The office of the prosecutor has decided to prohibit 13th Saeima deputy Jānis Ādamsons, who is accused of spying for Russia, from performing his duties as a member of Latvia’s parliament.
The bail amount EUR 30 000 was paid on 5 January 2022 and Ādamsons was released from arrest.
Now the prosecutor has announced additional security measures: the accused is obligated to report change of place of residence, the accused is prohibited from meeting with a certain person, the accused is also prohibited from leaving Latvia’s territory and engage in certain activities, as confirmed by the office of the prosecutor.
As for the prohibition to engage in certain activities, Ādamsons is not allowed to perform duties as 13th Saeima deputy and Saeima’s Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee for the duration of the investigation.
The 14th Saeima elections will take place this autumn, and currently it is unknown when the prosecutor in charge of the case could submit it to court.
As previously reported, Ādamsons is accused by the State Security Service (VDD) of spying for Russia. The Saeima deputy was detained in summer 2021. After his detainment he was put under arrest. On 17 December 2021 Riga City Vidzeme Suburb Court extended the security measure – arrest. The option to be released on bail (EUR 30 000) was provided to him, and Ādamsons took it.
Following the request from the Office of the Prosecutor General Latvia’s Saeima permitted the commencement of criminal prosecution of Ādamsons in accordance with three sections of the Criminal Law – spying, small-scale fraud and acquisition and storage of firearm ammunition without a permit.
The deputy is accused of small-scale fraud related to compensation of fuel-related costs. The total amount is about EUR 100. Authorities also found several dozen firearm cartridges during a search in the deputy’s home.
The office of the prosecutor affirmed that some Russian citizen is the second accused in the criminal case involving collection and provision of classified and sensitive information to a foreign country’s intelligence service.
Last summer there were public reports of Russian citizen, former KGB member Gennady Silonov.
TV3 programme Nekā personīga reported in summer 2021 that Silonov was born and raised in Latvia. He studied at the Institute of Aviation and had the rank of captain in Latvian SSR KGB branch. He worked in the division in charge of organised crime prevention.
After the collapse of USSR and liquidation of the local KGB branch, Silonov moved to Russia. However, he maintained contacts with Latvia and visited the country regularly.
He is considered a person who was able to resolve many issued using his contacts. He is also believed to have close ties with Russian Federal Security Service.
Read also: Latvian State Security Service suspects two for spying for Russia
Nekā personīga reported in summer that an arrest as a security measure may be applied to the once the head of Latvian SSR KGB Investigation Office, VDD predecessor – Security Police and former Minister of the Interior Mareks Segliņš’s advisor Andris Strautmanis and the chief of municipal police of some city in Latvia. Without mentioning names, VDD affirms that a criminal process has been separated for two other persons. Investigation continues. In the interest of the investigation VDD does not offer any detailed comments.
Information from LETA indicates law enforcers suspect Ādamsons of about 40 different crime episodes.
According to LTV, Ādamsons is suspected of collecting and providing information to Russia for the last four years. According to unofficial information, he collected and provided different publicly available documents – law amendments, information about military procurements and budget, eastern border infrastructure, information about the Baltic Assembly’s stance on Nord Stream 2, etc. It is also believed he may have used his computer in the parliament to pass on sensitive data.
In the Saeima Ādamsons worked in the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, Submissions Committee and Baltic Affairs Sub-Committee. Although Ādamsons has no permit to access official secrets, he had the right to participate in meetings of the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Committee during which officials presented confidential information.
He also worked in multiple Saeima deputy groups. As a member of the parliament he worked in the work group in charge of cooperation with the Israeli Parliament, the Chinese Parliament and Belarusian Parliament.
In January 2019 Ādamsons became the head of the group of deputies in charge of developing cooperation with the Russian parliament.
During the Soviet era Ādamsons held different posts in the USSR Navy. After the restoration of Latvia’s independence Ādamsons served as deputy commander of Latvian Navy and commander of the Border Guards Brigade. Later he entered politics.
Ādamsons still receives a military pension paid by Russia.
After his arrest, Ādamsons decided to leave the political party Harmony and its faction in the Saeima. He remains a Saeima deputy, however.
Saeima deputy accused of spying for Russia prohibited from working in the parliament
