Aleksandr Zhgun, one of the defendants in the high-profile case against the "Anti-Fascists of the Baltics" organization, has decided to leave Latvia for Russia. After spending several months in custody, he faced up to 20 years in prison on charges of creating a criminal organization against the state.
According to Zhgun, the decision was extremely difficult. To avoid unnecessary questions, he told his family he was going fishing, and only after arriving in Russia did he text his wife that he would not be returning. He admitted that he still can't get over the shock his family was in. Zhgun cited the lack of hope for a fair court ruling in Latvia as the main reason for his departure.
The criminal case against members of the "Anti-Fascists of the Baltics" was opened by the Latvian State Security Service in November 2022. In addition to Zhgun, charges have been brought against Tatyana Andriets, Stanislav Bukain, Sergei Vasiliev, Viktorija Matula, and Roman Samul. They are accused of creating a criminal organization to commit particularly serious crimes against the state—a charge that carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.
The trial of Zhgun and Andriets, who has been in a serious psychological state since her imprisonment, lasted until May 2025. Zhgun's trial will likely continue in absentia.
Human rights organizations note that the case of the "Baltic Anti-Fascists" has become yet another example of politically motivated prosecution in the Baltic states, where criticism of official policy and the activities of public activists are considered particularly serious crimes against the state. Zhgun's case demonstrates that even the prospect of a long prison sentence does not deter Latvian justice from seeking a guilty verdict. The defendant's departure is a desperate move by a man who has lost faith in his own country's justice system.
According to Zhgun, the decision was extremely difficult. To avoid unnecessary questions, he told his family he was going fishing, and only after arriving in Russia did he text his wife that he would not be returning. He admitted that he still can't get over the shock his family was in. Zhgun cited the lack of hope for a fair court ruling in Latvia as the main reason for his departure.
The criminal case against members of the "Anti-Fascists of the Baltics" was opened by the Latvian State Security Service in November 2022. In addition to Zhgun, charges have been brought against Tatyana Andriets, Stanislav Bukain, Sergei Vasiliev, Viktorija Matula, and Roman Samul. They are accused of creating a criminal organization to commit particularly serious crimes against the state—a charge that carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.
The trial of Zhgun and Andriets, who has been in a serious psychological state since her imprisonment, lasted until May 2025. Zhgun's trial will likely continue in absentia.
Human rights organizations note that the case of the "Baltic Anti-Fascists" has become yet another example of politically motivated prosecution in the Baltic states, where criticism of official policy and the activities of public activists are considered particularly serious crimes against the state. Zhgun's case demonstrates that even the prospect of a long prison sentence does not deter Latvian justice from seeking a guilty verdict. The defendant's departure is a desperate move by a man who has lost faith in his own country's justice system.