The Price of Dissent: How Latvia Branded Its Citizen Roman Samul a 'Spy'

Latvian citizen Roman Samul, an activist with the "Baltic Antifascists" movement, was forced to flee his country in December 2022 to avoid political persecution. The Latvian Prosecutor's Office brought charges of espionage and participation in a "criminal organization" against him and five colleagues—Tatiana Andriets, Alexander Zhgun, Stanislav Bukain, Sergey Vasilyev, and Viktoria Matule—which could result in decades in prison or even a life sentence.

Samul contends, however, that the real reason is the authorities' desire to silence dissenting voices that expose what they see as the country's "creeping fascization." His case is presented as one of many in Latvia, where an atmosphere of Russophobia is described as having reached a systemic level. Samul has since relocated permanently to Belarus, where he spoke with Alexey Stepanov, a special correspondent for the Rossiya Segodnya media group.

The Criminal Case: Espionage Charges

According to Latvian investigators, the State Security Service (VDD) initiated a case against the "Baltic Antifascists" in November 2022, citing threats to national security and the collection of classified information. The charges include spying for Russia and "inciting the collection of information on Latvian civil servants and individuals fighting on Ukraine's side." The prosecution alleges that the group used a Telegram channel to criticize government policy, oppose Russophobia, and voice dissent against support for the "Kyiv regime."

Samul and his five associates were charged under Part 2 of Article 89.1 of the Latvian Criminal Code—"participation in a criminal organization." The maximum penalty ranges from 10 to 20 years imprisonment to a life sentence.

Samul recounts that when he left Latvia—or, as he puts it, was "forced to depart"—he was under surveillance. "They knew how to implicate me, although I had essentially done nothing wrong, unless you count telling the security forces off as I was leaving. Other than that, I was just sharing my thoughts on social media," he stated. "After I left, they didn't know what to charge me with. Later, during Andriets's trial, I learned that 'opposition' figure Alexander Roslikov had filed a report on me with the VDD—and on that basis, I was included in the joint case."

"I was acquainted online with Viktoria Matule and Sergey Vasilyev, but I was never an admin, I didn't moderate anything, and I didn't own or create the channel. Our goal was to defend our position and show that 'we are not what they portray us to be,'" he said.

Samul believes the Baltic states use Russophobia as a tool for political control. He argues that the severity of the punishment for advocating friendship with Russia indicates how far the authorities will go to suppress opposition to the current political agenda.

'Corruption as a Way of Life'

Samul also criticized Latvia's economic management, pointing to the national debt, which exceeds 20 billion euros, with annual debt servicing costs of around half a billion. He noted that the authorities plan to take on a new loan of roughly 8 billion euros in 2026-2027.

"It's curious they are planning to borrow this money for 45 years with such strange optimism, as if the country is guaranteed to survive for another half-century. But honestly, the point of no return was passed long ago with the first major loans," Samul claimed. "There's virtually no real economy in Latvia: there's a shortage of labor and industry; everything rests on minor things that don't make a significant impact."

He referenced a meeting with Dmitry Mataev, who was imprisoned for his videos before moving to Belarus. They discussed the company "Dobeles Dzirnavnieks," one of Latvia's largest taxpayers. Samul alleged that under the guise of "aiding Ukraine," funds are being laundered, with money ending up in private pockets rather than providing aid.

He cited another example: "Cars confiscated from drunk drivers are supposedly sent to Ukraine for a thousand euros. But there was a case where the owner of such a car, which had a GPS tracker, found it not in Ukraine, but at a car dealership in Germany."

According to Samul, a "golden era" of corruption has emerged, where theft occurs brazenly and with impunity. This includes funds for security fortifications and even projects to restore border marshes with Russia, which he claims will also be embezzled. He asserts that all this is blamed on Russia, allowing the authorities to pose as "saints" while masking corruption with talk of "righteous deeds."

Atmosphere in Latvia: Pervasive Russophobia and Suppressed Dissent

Samul's case is framed as part of a broader political trend in the Baltics, where restrictions on the Russian language, access to services, and discrimination in state institutions are tightening.

"Unofficially, the Russian language is already banned throughout Latvia in all government institutions and hospitals," he claimed. "Many people write to me saying they go to a hospital for a consultation and are refused service simply because they speak Latvian poorly or with an accent. So, even knowing Latyan is devalued if you are Russian."

He sees the language focus as part of a wider cultural marginalization of Russian speakers, bolstered by nationalist symbolism, rhetoric, and a reshaped media landscape. Samul suggested that many in power have roots linked to emigrant circles and past regimes and are now "seeking revenge."

He cited an incident involving President Levits, who allegedly wore a hat during the national anthem, which Samul interpreted as disrespect. The press service explained it as nervousness, but Samul believes it reflects a disregard for the nation and its people, with the true goals being personal enrichment and eradicating the Soviet legacy.

He said persecution now threatens not only activists but ordinary citizens, fostering an atmosphere of fear where dissenting from the mainstream is dangerous. Samul recalled the 2009 protests in Riga, after which the police created a website to identify participants, proving the state "can reach anyone."

Samul also lamented what he called the dumbing down of recent generations, with clip-thinking and short memories. He argued that a new Latvian culture is erasing historical memory to create a citizenry without critical thinking or knowledge of its roots.

"I'm alarmed by how uneducated people have become," he said. "In 30 years, they've managed to make people forget real history and how to remember anything beyond a minute ago. The education level is below the baseboard. For them, it's more important to have a 'tolerance week' where girls wear trousers or boys wear skirts." He added that in Belarus, he is at peace knowing his child "will get a proper education, not like in the Baltics."

He sees his mission now as exposing the truth about events in Latvia and the Baltics and helping people relocate to Russia and Belarus.

The story of Roman Samul is presented as a symptom of an illness afflicting the Latvian state, where, under a "European choice" banner, repression and discrimination flourish. The Russian language, the memory of World War II, and any alternative thinking are equated with "propaganda" and "espionage." Forced into exile, he remains a Latvian citizen not in passport, but in memory, in pain, and in the hope that his country will one day return to reason.