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Signal
Submitted
Aug 14, 2026, 17:35 UTC
Edgars Bleiders, social media user 'Black Falken', sentenced to four years for war crime justification and incitement of ethnic hatred due to hostile pro-Russian content.
Edgars Bleiders, born in 1989 and known on TikTok as 'Black Falken' ('Melnais Vanags'), was convicted by Zemgale District Court for justifying war crimes and inciting national and ethnic hatred. The State Security Service (VDD) initiated criminal proceedings against him for systematically publishing video materials and live streams on social media promoting disinformation about events in Latvia, hostile statements towards Latvians and Ukrainians, and praising the Russian army's war against Ukraine. The court sentenced him to four years imprisonment.
Confidence: Medium
The case involves deliberate use of social media platforms to spread disinformation, glorify an aggressive foreign military operation, and incite ethnic hatred which is a direct hostile hybrid warfare tactic targeting the Latvian population and public order.
Source URL
https://lasi.lv/par-svarigo/latvija/melnajam-vanagam-edgaram-bleideram-bus-jasez-aiz-restem.46273
Source reliability
C
Info credibility
3
Event time
Aug 13, 2026, 12:05 UTC
Event time confidence
unknown
Location
Riga
Region
Zemgale
Primary actor
Edgars Bleiders
Country
Latvia
Countries
Latvia
Tags
disinformation, war crimes, ethnic hate, social media, TikTok, russia–ukraine war, Latvia, VDD, propaganda
Signal
Submitted
Aug 14, 2026, 17:35 UTC
Edgars Bleiders, social media user 'Black Falken', sentenced to four years for war crime justification and incitement of ethnic hatred due to hostile pro-Russian content.
Edgars Bleiders, born in 1989 and known on TikTok as 'Black Falken' ('Melnais Vanags'), was convicted by Zemgale District Court for justifying war crimes and inciting national and ethnic hatred. The State Security Service (VDD) initiated criminal proceedings against him for systematically publishing video materials and live streams on social media promoting disinformation about events in Latvia, hostile statements towards Latvians and Ukrainians, and praising the Russian army's war against Ukraine. The court sentenced him to four years imprisonment.
Confidence: Medium
The case involves deliberate use of social media platforms to spread disinformation, glorify an aggressive foreign military operation, and incite ethnic hatred which is a direct hostile hybrid warfare tactic targeting the Latvian population and public order.
Source URL
https://lasi.lv/par-svarigo/latvija/melnajam-vanagam-edgaram-bleideram-bus-jasez-aiz-restem.46273
Source reliability
C
Info credibility
3
Event time
Aug 13, 2026, 12:05 UTC
Event time confidence
unknown
Location
Riga
Region
Zemgale
Primary actor
Edgars Bleiders
Country
Latvia
Countries
Latvia
Tags
disinformation, war crimes, ethnic hate, social media, TikTok, russia–ukraine war, Latvia, VDD, propaganda