An individual who has happy to wave a Russian flag in Rīga soon after Russia’s disgusting invasion of Ukraine has had his complaints about his arrest during the incident “unanimously” thrown out by the European Court of Human Rights (ECGHR).

The applicant, a Latvian national by the name of Aleksandrs Dubjago, was one of several people who gathered on 10th May at the Soviet monument (since spectacularly demolished) in Victory Park, Rīga and, holding the flag of the Russian Federation around his shoulders, delivered an impromptu speech.

Dubjago was detained and the next day criminal proceedings were initiated against him. Searches were also carried out at two residential properties linked to him. Police continued their investigations but on 30th December 2022 the criminal proceedings were discontinued for lack of evidence a criminal offence had been committed.

Nevertheless, Dubjago turned to the ECHR complaining about his detention and the searches claiming 7,000 euros in respect of non-pecuniary damage and EUR 8,304.95 in respect of pecuniary damage.

“The Court, unanimously declares the application inadmissible,” the ECHR said on March 19th, giving several reasons, including the fact that Dubjago had not exhausted domestic possibilities to seek redress before turning to the European court. His complaint about the searches was “manifestly ill-founded” the court noted.

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