On 11 May 2020 VDD asked the Prosecution Office to initiate criminal prosecution against a person for publicly calling to exterminate people of a certain nationality and for spreading fake news, which caused commotion for the public and disturbance in the work of state institutions.
On 11 May 2020 VDD asked the Prosecution Office to initiate criminal prosecution against a person for publicly calling to exterminate people of a certain nationality and for spreading fake news, which caused commotion for the public and disturbance in the work of state institutions.
The criminal proceedings against the person were initiated on 31 January 2020 pursuant to Section 78 Paragraph two of the Criminal Law for committing acts directed towards triggering national hatred or enmity, by using automated data processing system.
On 30 January 2020 the said person posted a video recording on "Facebook" calling for extermination of people of a certain nationality. Additionally the person claimed in the video that the first case of COVID-19 infection had been established in Latvia, which at that point was not true. VDD holds the view that the person’s actions provoked agitation and sense of insecurity in the public, as well as significantly disturbed the work of institutions and officials that are responsible for the control and prevention of diseases.
Considering the aforementioned circumstances, within the criminal proceedings VDD additionally qualified the activities of the person pursuant to Section 231 Paragraph one of the Criminal Law about hooliganism, which resulted in disturbance of the peace of persons and the work of institutions.
VDD has referred the criminal case to the Prosecution Office and proposed to initiate criminal prosecution against the person.
VDD recalls that no person shall be considered guilty until the guilt of such person has been determined in accordance with the procedures laid down in the law.
Information prepared by VDD
Illustrative photo by Freepik
