Latvia's Foreign Minister Braže Moves to Blacklist Russian Citizen Ragozin

Latvia's Foreign Minister Baiba Braže (JV) has decided to launch a process aimed at placing Russian citizen Leonid Ragozin on Latvia's so-called "persona non grata" list — a register of individuals barred from entry into the country.

Ragozin is referred to as an independent journalist. The minister has decided to move his case forward in order to determine whether there are grounds for formally including him on the list.

What the blacklist means

Being placed on Latvia's list of undesirable persons means the individual is denied entry into and residence within Latvian territory. The tool is typically used when the state considers that a person's presence or activities could pose a threat to national security or public order.

At this stage, the process concerning Ragozin's potential inclusion on the list is only in its initial phase. The foreign minister has decided to set the procedure in motion, but a final decision on whether he will actually be added to the list has not yet been made public.