During the past year an unprecedented wave of political repressions took place in our country. Political activists have been arrested and kept in prison with no official charges against them. One case, involving 14 Russian-speaking journalists charged with a criminal offence , openly shows the purely political nature of the proceedings. Journalists have been put on trial for “breaking the EU sanctions regime” purely for doing their job for media outlets which were not included in any list of sanctions. We recognize that the war in Ukraine gave a “green light” for such actions, violating all democratic principles.
The Latvian Russian Union unequivocally condemns the invasion of Ukraine. Acknowledging that the present situation is the full responsibility of the current government of the Russian Federation, we distance ourselves from it and insist that the Russian-speaking population of Latvia may not be blamed or prosecuted for the actions of the government of the Russian state.
We condemn any attempt to connect the war in Ukraine with self-determination for Russian-speaking people in Ukraine. Violence and intimidation cannot ever be part of the solution to any self-determination conflict.
We call for an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of troops and the start of peace negotiations. All diplomatic efforts should be focused on creating the circumstances for a long-lasting peace: a peace that respects international law and the dignity of all the people of Ukraine.
