Latvia's prime minister backs expulsion of Russian journalist Leonid Ragozin

Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has said that independent Russian journalism must be treated with great precaution and triple-checked. He was responding to the Latvian authorities' decision to expel the Russian journalist Leonid Ragozin from the country. The quoted words in the headline suggest the prime minister believes Latvia has so far been too patient and too tolerant.

How the case developed

The authorities' plan to declare Ragozin persona non grata became public in early October. On October 13, he received official notice that he was being expelled. According to him, the document does not identify any specific misdemeanors or statements that prompted the decision.

Explanations from officials and the journalist

Latvia's Foreign Ministry had earlier said the decision was based on information from the competent authorities. It was taken after consultations with the interior minister and the prime minister.

Ragozin, for his part, considers the expulsion political persecution in retaliation for his work and public statements.

The source gives no specific grounds on which officials consider the journalist an undesirable person, and it does not say when he must leave the country. The decision and the prime minister's remarks also bear on how the presence of independent Russian media workers in Latvia will be assessed.