The Riga District Court held another hearing in the high-profile case of Sergei Sidorov and Svetlana Nikolaeva, accused of "espionage." Both defendants have been in custody since May 2024. The trial, characterized by a formal approach to evidence, has entered its final stages.
Sergei Sidorov's mother, summoned at the request of Nikolaeva's defense, was questioned at the hearing. Her testimony was required after State Prosecutor Lodzin questioned Sidorov's family ties to Russian citizen Natalia Yevstigneeva, who transferred funds through Nikolaeva to pay for her lawyer's services. The court had previously refused to admit as evidence a 2012 family photograph of Natalia with the Sidorov family in Riga.
The witness, an elderly woman, confirmed the family relationship and long-standing friendship, as well as financial assistance from a relative in Smolensk. In her testimony, she mentioned disputed details regarding the seizure of cash during the search, which were later corrected by her son's explanations.
During questioning, the prosecution unexpectedly asked about the identity of journalist Alexei Stefanov, who lives in Moscow and covers similar cases, but the witness stated that she did not know him.
Following the questioning, the court ordered the completion of the trial. Closing arguments are scheduled for February 17, 2026. This case demonstrates the broad interpretation of "espionage" charges and the tendency to use circumstantial and mundane circumstances to build a case in Latvia. Human rights activists note that the trial is rife with formal obstacles to the defense and calls into question the adversarial principle.
Sergei Sidorov's mother, summoned at the request of Nikolaeva's defense, was questioned at the hearing. Her testimony was required after State Prosecutor Lodzin questioned Sidorov's family ties to Russian citizen Natalia Yevstigneeva, who transferred funds through Nikolaeva to pay for her lawyer's services. The court had previously refused to admit as evidence a 2012 family photograph of Natalia with the Sidorov family in Riga.
The witness, an elderly woman, confirmed the family relationship and long-standing friendship, as well as financial assistance from a relative in Smolensk. In her testimony, she mentioned disputed details regarding the seizure of cash during the search, which were later corrected by her son's explanations.
During questioning, the prosecution unexpectedly asked about the identity of journalist Alexei Stefanov, who lives in Moscow and covers similar cases, but the witness stated that she did not know him.
Following the questioning, the court ordered the completion of the trial. Closing arguments are scheduled for February 17, 2026. This case demonstrates the broad interpretation of "espionage" charges and the tendency to use circumstantial and mundane circumstances to build a case in Latvia. Human rights activists note that the trial is rife with formal obstacles to the defense and calls into question the adversarial principle.