The Riga City Court has delivered a guilty verdict against Latvian citizen Tatyana Masenko. For publishing Russian-language videos on the social network TikTok, she was sentenced to three years in prison and two years of probationary supervision. The court found her guilty under Article 74.1 of the Criminal Law of Latvia, which provides for liability for the public justification and glorification of war crimes. The maximum penalty under this provision is up to six years of imprisonment.
What Exactly the Blogger Was Accused Of
The investigation, conducted by the State Security Service of Latvia (VDD), identified more than 20 publications. According to the prosecution, from April to July 2024, Masenko deliberately spread content mocking the Ukrainian army and justifying Russia's actions. Case materials feature specific examples: footage of a Ukrainian soldier with a prosthetic limb against the backdrop of a military cemetery accompanied by the caption "Forward to the gay-ropean future," as well as a video from a cemetery with a caption stating that "soon all of you from all over gay-rope will be gathered" for defense.
Defense Position: "Wanted Hype, Not Politics"
The defendant's lawyer, Oskars Ondrups, insisted on a full acquittal. According to the defense, the woman acted "thoughtfully and frivolously," solely to attract attention, likes, and reach, rather than to promote any ideology. In her final statement, Masenko stated that she is a citizen of Latvia, does not travel to Russia or Belarus, and does not support war crimes, admitting that "she should not have acted this way" but emphasizing that it was not her personal opinion. She also noted that the four months spent in a pre-trial detention center immediately after her interrogation by the VDD were already sufficient punishment.
Real Sentence and Appeal
Prosecutor Roberts Urdzins, conversely, emphasized that given the defendant's lack of prior convictions, the severity of the content warrants exclusively real imprisonment. The lawyer has already informed Latvian media, including the LETA agency, that he considers the verdict disproportionate and intends to appeal the decision within the statutory ten working days after receiving the full text of the verdict.
Public Resonance
Against the backdrop of this case, public discussion regarding the role of social networks has escalated in Latvia. On the public initiatives platform ManaBalss.lv, the collection of signatures for the complete blocking of TikTok in the country is ongoing. Supporters of the ban argue that the platform has become a tool for inciting hatred and promoting destructive geopolitical narratives.
