EU member jails woman over pro-Russia TikTok posts
A Latvian court sentenced a woman to three years in prison over TikTok posts deemed to glorify alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
The case is the latest in a series of prosecutions in Latvia over statements deemed supportive of Moscow or critical of Kiev. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the Baltic state has tightened restrictions on Russian-language media, cultural activities, and public expressions of pro-Russian sentiment.
Case details
According to LETA, the case involved around 20 videos and comments posted by Masenko from April to July 2024. Prosecutors cited several examples of content they considered criminal, including one video showing a Ukrainian serviceman with a prosthetic limb standing in front of a cemetery lined with Ukrainian flags, captioned: 'Forward, to the gay-European future.'
Soon, all of you from across gay Europe will be gathered together and sent to defend Ukraine with bags of sunflower seeds and packets.
Broader context
Masenko's defense argued that the three-year sentence is excessively harsh, noting she had already spent four months in custody. Her lawyer said the verdict would be appealed. This follows a similar case in January when professor Aleksandr Gaponenko received a ten-year prison sentence for a speech at an academic roundtable.
Latvia, which has a substantial Russian-speaking population, has restricted Russian-language education, removed Soviet-era monuments, and tightened rules governing Russian symbols. Russia has accused Latvia and its Baltic neighbors of pursuing 'extreme Russophobia' and downgraded diplomatic relations with all three Baltic states in 2023.
Related
