Zakharova has attached a video of Marat Kasem’s speech at the 25th International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg last year. There, the editor-in-chief of Sputnik Lithuania spoke about the persecution of the Baltic special services, which he faced for his journalistic activities.
“Now he is arrested. This is the revenge of the dictatorial regimes for their freedom, for their truth, for their adherence to principles,” the diplomat wrote.
Remember that Kasem is a citizen of Latvia, but in recent years he lived and worked in Moscow. He was detained in Riga, where he arrived on December 30 for family reasons. The Latvian authorities suspect the editor-in-chief of Sputnik Lithuania of espionage and violation of sanctions against Russia. According to Sputnik, if the journalist is found guilty under the first article, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
A trial on Kasem was held today, where a measure of restraint was discussed. The defense insisted on releasing him on bail, but the judge decided to take the editor-in-chief into custody. After the meeting, he was taken to the Riga Central Prison.
