Human Rights First Condemns Conviction of Latvian Human Rights Defender Ieva Raubiško for Helping Asylum Seekers at Belarus Border

The conviction today of Latvian human rights defender Ieva Raubiško by the Latgale District Court is a dangerous attack on human rights and solidarity. Ieva has been sentenced to 200 hours of community service after helping five asylum seekers stranded at the Belarus border – people for whom she had obtained a European Court of Human Rights interim measure requiring the Latvian government to provide them basic humanitarian aid.

Human Rights First has been documenting the targeting of HRDs at Europe’s eastern borders and has reported on Raubiško’s case as part of this alarming trend.

“Convicting Ieva is an obvious and shameful attempt to intimidate others into silence,” said Human Rights First’s Senior Advisor Brian Dooley. “Helping people in danger should be celebrated, not criminalized. Latvia is sending a disgraceful message that it considers kindness a crime.”

We join international and local human rights groups in condemning today’s decision and urge Latvian authorities to reverse this unjust conviction.