Case of 14 journalists: Latvian prosecutor's office demands a heavy fine for the second defendant

On June 13, 2024, the trial of journalist Ludmila Pribylska, one of 14 accused of violating EU sanctions in connection with their cooperation with the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, continued in a Riga court.

The prosecutor's office insists that Pribylskaya is guilty and proposes that she be fined 7,700 euros, which is 11 minimum wages at the current exchange rate.

This is the second time that the prosecutor's office has demanded that a large fine be imposed on a journalist. Earlier, a similar demand - a fine of 7000 euros, was brought against Vladimir Dorofeev.

Recall that in December 2020, the Latvian State Security Service (LSS) launched a large-scale repression of Russian-speaking journalists in Latvia. Fourteen journalists cooperating with the portals Sputnik and Baltnews were given the status of suspects, they were searched, their electronic media and bank cards were confiscated, and signatures of non-departure were taken.

At the same time, Latvian journalists who write for these media outlets are not their employees, but act only as freelance writers.

Under Article 84 of the Latvian Criminal Law, the journalists face penalties ranging from monetary fines to imprisonment.