All of the people detained in the espionage case involving Latvian Saeima deputy Jānis Ādamsons are former operatives of Soviet and Latvian security services. One of the detainees – a now ex-police officer of Ādaži municipal police – previously worked in the State Security Service (VDD), which is also in charge of the investigation in this criminal procedure, as reported by LTV programme De Facto on 23 January.
Ādamsons, who VDD suspects of spying for Russia, was detained last summer. During the Soviet era he was a member of the KGB Border Guard Forces. For a long time Latvian special services refused to provide him access to official secrets when he became a politician. However, according to evidence collected by VDD, he has been supplying Russia’s Federal Security Service with information for a long time.
«Naturally, I do not admit any guilt and I consider all of this foolishness,» Ādamsons said in a short telephone conversation to De Facto.
Shortly before the start of Ādamsons’ case, Russian citizen Gennady Silonov was detained at Riga International Airport. He is considered the middle-man in the information exchange process.
Not much is known about Silonov: born in Riga, served in the local branch of KGB. According to a record card regarding KGB agents in Latvia, in 1990 Silonov looked into KGB’s 3rd Department, which was primarily in charge of battling organised crime. In the last several years Silonov has lived in Latvia using a residence permit. He represents Standard Invest company, which has an interest in transit, frozen fish products and real estate. Unlike Ādamsons, however, Silonov remains under arrest. But like Ādamsons, he does not admit his guilt.
Silonov’s defence attorney Imma Jansone believes Section 85 of the Criminal Law (Espionage) is too abstract, because it covers liability for collection of undisclosed information and the intention to pass this information to a foreign country. Jansone claims that, based on information from the criminal case, Silonov is accused of intending to pass the aforementioned sensitive information, not that he actually did pass it.
«Our client’s rights for defence are blatantly violated, because since October 2021 our client has not been able to meet with his lawyers in private. Nor have we been able to work with the case to prepare for the trial,» said Silonov’s defence attorney.
According to her, Silonov is the only one of the four detainees who remains under arrest.
Investigation of two other persons was previously separated from Ādamsons’ case.
One of those detainees is another ex-KGB worker – investigator Andris Strautmanis.
The 1988 KGB phone book lists him among heads of branch offices. After the restoration of Latvia’s independence, Strautmanis landed a high post in Security Police (currently VDD). During the term of Minister of the Interior Mareks Segliņš he was hired as a consultant, De Facto reports.
The people previously persecuted by the Soviet power were shocked to find Strautmanis hired to such an important post. Ādamsons, on the other hand, was one of the people who suggested in an interview to LTV 20 years ago to provide Strautmanis the required access to official secrets.
The programme reports that Strautmanis’ role in Ādamsons’ alleged spying activities is unclear. VDD remains tight-lipped about the investigation.
According to unofficial information available to De Facto, another persons detained last summer is former member of Security Police Arturs Šmaukstelis. He left the service ten years ago and joined Ādaži municipal police force. In 2019 Šmaukstelis almost became the deputy chief of Carnikava municipal police. Minister of the Interior Sandis Ģirģens did not support this suggestion. He said the reason was information from State Police about risks for public order and safety.
Šmaukstelis left the police in August 2021.
«Unfortunately, I cannot comment on this. I suggest people contact the State Security Service for more information,» said Šmaukstelis in a telephone conversation. He said he maintained contacts with Ādamsons, because he was similar to the deputy’s assistant in the Saeima.
The programme reports that Šmaukstelis was Ādamsons’ assistant for a month and a half in summer 2019, before he tried becoming deputy chief of municipal police.
He explained in a later litigation with the Ministry of the Interior that he left his job in the service because his wage was reduced by one-third during the crisis, but even after that, he said, his former colleagues turned to him for assistance.
In spite of the fact that former security service workers are involved in the case, with one of them having left VDD relatively recently, chairman of Saeima committee in charge of supervising special services Māris Kučinskis does not believe there was a leak of confidential information.
«Internal control has been tightened in recent years. No one is chased away with sirens. They just leave more quietly now. I am surprised somewhat that he worked in municipal police. The only lesson to take away from this is that we need to follow people like that, look where they land,» said Kučinskis.
After his release, Ādamsons was prohibited from working in the Saeima. «It would be wrong to accuse Ādamsons of espionage and fraud, while not restricting his freedom to perform duties as Saeima deputy,» said prosecutor Juris Ločmelis.
Other cases
De Facto reports that two weeks ago VDD reported detaining two more people suspected of spying for Russian military intelligence. This investigation is not related to Ādamsons’ case.
Both detainees are accused of espionage in the defence sector and meeting with Russian special service operatives in Russia. One of them has been presented charges – for firearm storage. He was not a state official, but he did use he contacts to compile and transfer information about combat capabilities of Latvia’s National Armed Forces, procurements and NATO activities to Russia.
Prosecutor Baiba Balode told De Factor that the accused has admitted his guilt. She believes the case could be submitted to court in February.
The second criminal case on espionage detains the passing of information to Russia’s military intelligence services. The investigation continues and no more information is available at this time.
All detainees in Saeima deputy espionage case – former security service members
