Latvian prosecution office has fined blogger Kirils Fjodorovs EUR 12 400 for justifying crimes committed by Russian armed forces in Ukraine and for hate speech against Ukrainians and Latvians.
Latvian State Security Service (VDD) commenced a criminal procedure against him on the 16th of March 2022 due to the content he posted on YouTube and Telegram channels.
Fjodorovs is accused of denial of war crimes, crimes against humanity and peace, as well as incitement to national and ethnic hate.
The prosecution office concluded «the accused intentionally generated content online, including harassment, stigmatisation, defamation of groups of persons on the basis of national origin and intentionally published texts of such content through automated data-processing systems, knowing full well that such content is aimed at publicly justifying and sometimes denying war crimes and crimes against humanity and peace committed by Russia».
For example, on YouTube the accused justified, denied, defended and considered correct the decision by Russia to invade Ukraine, thereby publicly justifying and denying Russia’s war crimes and crimes against humanity and peace.
The accused has voiced direct, positive and specific support and glorification of Russia’s war multiple times and put the blame for the war on Ukraine, suggesting that the war was caused by Ukraine, the prosecution explains. The content published on various internet websites by the accused largely coincided with Kremlin’s position, glorified the country’s military might and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and his methods.
The man also posted text containing hate and intended to cause discord. The accused used insults aimed at Latvians, Ukrainians and democratic values as a whole.
What the accused wrote on the internet and public statements on websites also contained disinformation that is direct, provocative, hateful and aimed against Latvians and Ukrainians.
As previously reported, since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,
VDD has commenced several dozen criminal procedures
and has taken over criminal cases previously commenced by the State Police over hate speech and activities in support of Russia’s foreign policy interests.
VDD concluded the pre-trial investigation in 17 criminal procedures. Materials acquired during the investigation have been sent to the prosecution office, requesting criminal persecution of the accused. VDD also concluded five criminal processes because no composition of a criminal offence was found.
Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, VDD has detained blogger Fjodorovs, Facebook group Kriminālā Latvija Russian content creator and administrator Jurijs Mihailovs, DVS Urantija «spiritual development and healing centre» representative Aivis Vasilevskis, former Riga City Council deputy Ruslans Pankratovs, and Kremlin-controlled agency Rossiya Segodnya representative Marats Kasems.
Also read: Pro-Russian activist Lindermans on trial for glorifying Russian aggression