Latvia detains Sputnik Lithuania editor over alleged spying, violation of sanctions

Marat Kasem, Sputnik Lithuania editor

© APA | Marat Kasem, Sputnik Lithuania editor

# 05 January 2023 20:25 (UTC +04:00)

Sputnik Lithuania editor Marat Kasem was detained by the Latvian intelligence agency in Riga and taken into custody at the order of a Riga court on Thursday, APA reports citing Sputnik.

Kasem, a Latvian citizen, is suspected of being in breach of EU sanctions against Russia as well as of espionage, an offense punished by up to 20 years in prison.

He has 10 days to appeal the ruling.

Kasem has been working in Moscow where he is employed by the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, whose director general is on the EU blacklist. He returned to Latvia in late December for family reasons.

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