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, 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.