Latvian Lawmaker Faces Criminal Charges for Alleged Pro-Russian Statements Amid Controversy Over Language Policy

Latvian law enforcement officials announced on Monday that they have opened a criminal case against lawmaker Aleksejs Rosļikovs for allegedly supporting Russia and inciting hatred.

This investigation originates from a parliamentary session on June 5, during which Rosļikovs, representing Latvia’s Russian-speaking minority, was removed from the chamber after he shouted in Russian: “We are the majority!” and “Russian is our language,” as reported by local media.

The State Security Service (VDD) of Latvia has accused Rosļikovs of “aiding the aggressor state Russia in actions directed against Latvia and inciting national hatred and enmity.”

Should he be found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to five years.

The debate that triggered this investigation was a reaction to Latvia’s enactment of a requirement for certain Russian-speaking residents to pass a Latvian language exam or risk deportation.

According to the country’s statistics agency, ethnic Russians comprise approximately 23% of Latvia’s 1.8 million population as of 2025, and the language exam requirement affects only a segment of this demographic.

Rosļikovs is the leader of the For Stability! party, which advocates for the rights of Latvia’s Russian-speaking community. This Eurosceptic party secured 10 seats in the 2022 parliamentary elections.

In a video posted on Facebook, Rosļikovs claimed that the charges against him were politically motivated, stating they arose from his struggle “for truth and justice” and emphasizing that he was “defending part of the population living in Latvia.”

The For Stability! party did not provide a comment to AFP regarding the situation.