Russia Is Trying To Secure Annulment Of Unfounded Accusations Brought Against Anti-fascist Veterans In Latvia

Russia intends "to continue firmly and consistently supporting anti-fascist veterans, who are persecuted in Latvia, to secure removal of all the unfounded accusations brought against them," says the statement by the official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry that has been received by RIA Novosti. Judging by reports from Riga, the Latvian authorities have intensified their judicial persecution of anti-fascist veterans for their actions during the Second World War against the Hitler invaders and their stooges, said Alexander Yakovenko. "This causes quite an understandable concern," he pointed out. Moscow paid attention to the fact that under the pretext of the Riga district court's overwork the "cases" of these veterans had been sent to the courts in remote towns. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that in this way "the old veterans are doomed to additional physical suffering, and new difficulties are being created for them in setting up defence and participation in trials. As was pointed out by Alexander Yakovenko, "this is an obvious 'political order' to make laws retroactive. The investigation is conducted preconceivedly, the anti-fascist fighters are presented as 'occupants' and the Hitler accomplices - as fighters for freedom," said the official spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.