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Headline: Gapoņenko receives significant prison sentence for calls to harm Latvia
Short Summary: Aleksandrs Gapoņenko, a former Daugavpils city council deputy and head of the pro-Russian party "Harmony of the Latgale Region," was convicted and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment for public calls to harm the Republic of Latvia. His actions included supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine and glorifying Russia's aggression, which were judged as attempts to destabilize Latvia and harm its sovereignty. The case emphasized that while free speech is protected, calls to violence or sabotage against the state cross legal boundaries. The court stressed the need to protect Latvia’s security given the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine and hybrid threats from Russia. This verdict reflects the Latvian authorities’ stance against pro-Kremlin propaganda and efforts that threaten national security amid heightened tensions derived from Russian aggression in the region.
Extended Summary: Aleksandrs Gapoņenko, a former Daugavpils city council deputy and head of the pro-Russian party "Harmony of the Latgale Region," was convicted and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months imprisonment for public calls to harm the Republic of Latvia. His actions included supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine and glorifying Russia's aggression, which were judged as attempts to destabilize Latvia and harm its sovereignty. The case emphasized that while free speech is protected, calls to violence or sabotage against the state cross legal boundaries. The court stressed the need to protect Latvia’s security given the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine and hybrid threats from Russia. This verdict reflects the Latvian authorities’ stance against pro-Kremlin propaganda and efforts that threaten national security amid heightened tensions derived from Russian aggression in the region.
Aleksandrs Gapoņenko, former deputy of Daugavpils city council and leader of the Harmony of the Latgale Region party, has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for publicly calling to harm Latvia. His statements included support for Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine and calls undermining Latvia’s sovereignty. The Riga court ruled these acts as serious threats to national security during a period of ongoing war involving Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The judgment highlights that while freedom of expression is important, it does not protect calls for violent or destructive actions against the state. Prosecutors presented evidence of public speeches and social media posts praising Russia’s offensive measures and inciting harm to Latvian institutions and society. The final verdict aims to deter further propaganda and attempts to destabilize Latvia amid the broader context of Russia’s hybrid warfare tactics in the Baltic region.
The article clearly reports on a legal prosecution and sentencing of a pro-Russian Latvian political figure for calls to harm Latvia, representing a state legal countermeasure against subversion. The aggressor activity is his propaganda supporting Russia’s aggression, while the prosecution is a defensive legal action by Latvia's judicial system.
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