By a court decision, his statements were recognized as anti-state. Three articles of the criminal code were applied to him at once.
This is reported by the telegram channel Baltnews.
As Gaponenko himself pointed out, a criminal case was initiated against him in 2018 under the article on inciting hatred.
- ... for the fact that I praised the film "Volyn" by the Polish director Smazhovsky, an anti-fascist film, - said the human rights activist.
For the review, he was kept in custody for four months and released for the duration of the proceedings. The litigation dragged on for several years.
In addition to inciting hatred, he was accused of fighting against the Latvian state and espionage. For all articles, they asked for a year and a half in prison, the prosecutor's demand was satisfied - Gaponenko was sentenced to a specified period, nevertheless, he was given a suspended sentence.
The Russian embassy in Latvia reacted to the court decision.
- Today's verdict to the well-known public figure, publicist, human rights activist and fighter against manifestations of neo-Nazism in the Baltic States A. Gaponenko is a verdict of the Latvian Themis itself, confirming its partiality and politicization. It is a pity that the Latvian authorities, who so closely monitor the observance of human rights and freedom of speech in other countries, openly neglect them in their own state! - written in the message of the diplomatic mission.
Recall that in 2004 Gaponenko headed the Institute for European Studies. The human rights activist is a member of the Russian community in Latvia and heads the Baltic branch of the Izborsk Club expert community. He is also a protector of Russian schools.