Lutheran church suspends pastor Rolands Eimanis over sexual abuse allegations by multiple women

The presidium of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad (LELBP) has stripped pastor Rolands Eimanis of his duties in the church's congregations. The decision took effect on September 10 and is based on internal church regulations that allow leadership to dismiss a clergyman for conduct deemed harmful to the church.

Origins of the allegations

The move follows accusations against Eimanis that surfaced publicly in June, along with additional information that later reached church leadership. Two women told the news portal Delfi that they experienced sexual abuse at the hands of the pastor, born in 1968, during their childhood or teenage years in the early 2000s, while they were involved in congregational life in Baldone. According to the women, Eimanis gradually built trust-based relationships with them that later escalated into sexual acts, which reportedly took place multiple times at his home.

Why no criminal case was opened

One of the women, now an adult, reported the matter to the State Police, which declined to open a criminal case citing the statute of limitations — the alleged conduct was classified under a Criminal Law provision covering a minor's "voluntary" involvement in sexual acts, which carried only a five-year limitation period until 2006. Prosecutor Baiba Balode noted that a stricter rule adopted later cannot be applied retroactively. The woman has said she only fully grasped the nature of what she experienced in recent years through therapy; she has not appealed the police's refusal but is considering filing again.

Link to a drug case

The women also alleged that Eimanis used marijuana and expressed belief that a greenhouse shown in police photos from a previously exposed marijuana-growing operation in Baldone belonged to him. According to prosecutors, a person born in 1968 received a suspended 3.5-year sentence in Baldone in 2018 for possession of narcotic substances. Jānis Vanags, former archbishop of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, confirmed he had known about the marijuana use and had also received reports of morally questionable conduct.

LELBP Archbishop Kārlis Žols said that when Eimanis joined the church, his criminal record was not visible in the registry, and pledged to launch an internal investigation into the circumstances of his admission. In a written statement to Delfi, Eimanis said he had never abused or seduced anyone, but did not respond to further questions.