Latvia has barred media outlets linked to Moscow from reaching audiences since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, citing alleged propaganda  

Latvian police have arrested a man accused of providing access to banned Russian television channels to more than 400 households across the country, according to local media reports. 

The 42-year-old technician is reportedly suspected of setting up a system that bypassed content protection technologies, allowing viewers to watch banned Russian channels that supposedly spread propaganda.  

The man allegedly created a scheme to share television signal access cards, enabling multiple households to use a single valid code, Jauns.lv reported on Tuesday. The arrest took place at the end of May following a State Police investigation. If convicted, the suspect could face up to three years in prison, community service, or a fine.  

The European Commission barred several Russia-linked media outlets from operating in EU member states after the Ukraine conflict escalated in February 2022, accusing them of spreading propaganda. Sharing content from these outlets is also prohibited under EU law.  

Latvia, a former Soviet republic, has ramped up efforts to limit Russian influence, aligning closely with neighbors Estonia and Lithuania. All three Baltic states, which are among Kiev's strongest backers, have introduced broad restrictions on Russian nationals, including travel bans and mandatory language tests. In February, the Latvian parliament gave initial approval to a draft law that would prohibit citizens of Russia from acquiring real estate in the country.

 

Russia has criticized the measures as part of an information war and accused the Baltic states of stifling dissent and discriminating against its Russian-speaking minorities. Ethnic Russians account for roughly a quarter of Latvia's 1.8 million population, according to official data.  

Latvia has seen a rise in arrests linked to providing access to Russian media. In April 2024, police raided border areas to block the broadcast of banned Russian channels. In November, another man was detained for installing equipment that enabled access to prohibited content for around 130 households.  

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova recently accused the Latvian authorities of "blatant discrimination against Russians," claiming many of their policies were openly Russophobic. She said anti-Russian sentiment had "reached a new high" in the Baltics in recent years and warned that Latvia in particular could be brought to account at the International Court of Justice if it continued such practices.