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Human rights defender Alexander Gaponenko faces a trial in Latvia

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Human rights defender Alexander Gaponenko faces a trial in Latvia


26.10.2017

pixabay.comA court case of human rights defender Alexander Gaponenko who is representing interests of Russian speaking population in Latvia and heads Non-Citizen Congress has started in Riga. He is accused of stirring up national hatred through torchlight processions and provoking a real warfare, Vesti.lv reports.

It is worth reminding that a report from the Parliament National Alliance was a cause for the court case. Nationalists were irritated by sharp comments of the human rights defender to The Baltics on Fire article. They demanded prosecutors to pay attention to them.
Alexander Gaponenko has mentioned that intensification of neo-Nazis’ influence could lead to a big war reminding of World War II when Latvian elite accepted the fascists’ side gladly and some Latvians took part in anti-Semitic outrages and annihilation of inferior ethnic elements.

In case Alexander Gaponenko is found guilty, he will be put to prison for up to five years, perform compulsory labor or pay a considerable fine.

Alexander is sure that his case has political motives. According to him, National Alliance does not like the fact that he hates American tanks. Apparently, they believe that he insults Latvian NATO Allies.

Besides, another crime of Alexander Gaponenko according to the nationalists is that he does not celebrate 16th of March the date when Latvia commemorates so-called Waffen SS heroes who fought together with German fascists during World War II.

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