The editor-in-chief of Sputnik Lithuania was detained on suspicion of espionage and violating EU sanctions

Marat Kasem, editor-in-chief of the pro-Kremlin publication Sputnik Lithuania, has been detained in Latvia. This was reported by the RIA Novosti agency with reference to the telegram channel Sputnik Near Abroad.

According to the Telegram channel, Kasem is suspected of violating EU economic sanctions against Russia and of espionage. On January 5, a court in Riga chose a measure of restraint for him in the form of detention.

Director General of the Russia Today media group (which includes Sputnik and RIA Novosti) Dmitry Kiselev said that Kasem is a citizen of Latvia; he has been living and working in Moscow for several years, but on December 30 he came to Latvia for family reasons. “This is a clear political persecution, absolutely unlawful, absurd and unmotivated,” Kiselev told RIA Novosti.

According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, six months ago, Kasem complained that the Baltic authorities were persecuting him for his professional activities. “Now he is under arrest. This is the revenge of dictatorial regimes for his freedom, for his truth, for his adherence to principles,” Zakharova wrote in her Telegram channel.

• In May 2019, Marat Kasem was detained at the Vilnius airport and banned from entering Lithuania for five years. In July of the same year, the Lithuanian authorities decided to block Sputnik Lithuania, citing copyright infringement.
• Earlier in Latvia, were blocked resources related to Sputnik were detained and employees of the agency . Representatives of Sputnik also complained about pressure from the Estonian authorities.