Baltic News Network – News from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia » Activist detained in Latvia for fake COVID-19 news put under arrest

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On Thursday, 10 December, Riga City Latgale Suburb Court decided to put activist Valentīns Jeremejevs, who was previously detained by authorities for spreading false news related to COVID-19, under arrest.

He does have time until 10 January to pay EUR 50 000 in bail to be released, however, as LETA was told by the court.

The other person detained in this criminal case was applied with a security measure not associated with deprivation of freedom, LETA was told by State Police Public Relations Office. Police did not reveal the name of this person but LETA is aware it is paramedic from Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital Marina Kornatovska.

On Wednesday, 9 December, Latvia’s State Police detained Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital (RAKUS) paramedic Marina Kornatovska and activist Valentīns Jeremejevs over fake news about COVID-19, according to information from LETA.

State Police representative Gita Gžibovska affirms that the Cyber Crimes Enforcement Union has detained a man and a woman in relation to a criminal process regarding fake news posted on Facebook about COVID-19 infection.

Fake news was related to public health risks, and had caused a public resonance, confusion over legality and was aimed against epidemiological safety.

The criminal process was launched in accordance with the section of the Criminal Law on hooliganism.

This crime is punishable with deprivation of freedom of up to two years, community service or fine.

The investigation continues. In the interest of the investigation, police do not provide more detailed information. The law states that it is possible to detain a person for up to 48 hours. If necessary, security measures may be applied, with the most severe one being an arrest. The decision on application of an arrest is made by a court of justice.

LTV programme Panorāma reported last week that the video posted by «scandalous activist Valentīns Jeremejevs» had caused a wide public resonance. This video contained a number of previously heard conspiracy theories about COVID-19. In this video some of the theories were presented by a person presented as a doctor and employee of RAKUS.

In the more than half an hour long video paramedic Marina Kornatovska referenced the classic conspiracy tale – COVID-19 is made-up, statistics about infected people is fabricated, overloading of hospitals is a myth, the unconfirmed vaccines are actually deadly. The paramedic went as far as to say doctors intentionally make things worse for patients suffering from pneumonia.

«The treatment provided for pneumonia patients has a suspicious and confusing treatment algorithm. I can see a different clinical picture, but I have a suspicion that it’s not because of the increased virus activity, but because of what is done with patients during treatment,» said the paramedic. According to him, experiments are underway to find a way to kill people faster or create an impression that patients have been healed.

A day prior the woman had spread an audio file with other made-up facts – that a hospital for COVID-19 patients will be set up in Ķīpsala and the upcoming vaccines will be deadly.

Kornatovska is a paramedic – an assistant doctor at RAKUS Toxicology and Sepsis Clinic, where COVID-19 patients are put.