Russia Urges Rights Watchdogs to Defend Sputnik Editor Arbitrarily Arrested in Latvia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian presidential council for human rights called the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe for help in freeing Sputnik editor Marat Kasem, who was arrested in Latvia on trumped-up charges.

"Members of the standing commission of the Council for Human Rights… urge Deputy UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro, and the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic to step in and help free journalist Marat Kasem," they said.

Earlier in the day, the Russian ombudswoman urged UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk to weigh in on the arbitrary arrest in Latvia of Moscow-based Sputnik Lithuania editor.

"I call on the UN high commissioner for human rights to take note of this egregious incident and do everything in his power to protect the rights of Marat Kasem," Tatiana Moskalkova wrote on social media.

The Latvian national security agency said Thursday that Kasem, a Latvian citizen, was detained in Riga on Tuesday after returning home for family reasons. A Latvian judge rejected Kasem’s bailout bid and ordered him into custody. He is being held at the Riga Central Prison.

"I see repressive criminal charges against journalist Marat Kasem as an attack at freedom of speech and a violation of Latvia’s obligation to safeguard journalists’ rights," Moskalkova said.

The journalist's lawyer in Latvia said on Thursday that Kasem was also accused of spying but the Latvian security agency did not confirm this. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric urged Latvia to follow a proper judicial process.

Kasem, a Latvian national working at Sputnik Lithuania editorial desk in Moscow, was detained during a trip to the Latvian capital on Tuesday and sent to the Riga Central Prison by a Latvian judge two days later on accusation of having violated EU sanctions.

The Russian council for human rights described the accusations against Kasem as "trumped-up, absurd" and "a flagrant disregard by the Latvian authorities of such principles as freedom of speech and fundamental human rights," which it said amounted to persecution.