Riga Regional Court to Re-examine Case on Puma Purchase and Keeping This October

The Riga Regional Court will begin a new hearing on October 28 at 1:30 PM in a case involving Andrejs Pahomovs and Ilmārs Krieviņš, who are charged with violating endangered wildlife trade regulations. According to the indictment, one of the men purchased an American puma from a person in the Czech Republic on behalf of an association, after which the animal was unlawfully kept at the other defendant's residence until February 21, 2020, when it was seized during a search.

Initially, the Riga District Court acquitted both defendants, but the Riga Regional Court found them guilty, fining each €3,500 and ordering them to cover the costs of the puma's storage—nearly five times the fine amount. The Supreme Court (SC) annulled this ruling in June, stating that while the appellate court correctly identified an objective violation, it did not fully determine whether the violation was intentional.

The SC also noted that the first-instance court had issued an ancillary decision pointing to shortcomings and contradictions in the legal framework for endangered wildlife trade and in the public information provided by the Nature Conservation Agency. That decision was not appealed, and the appellate court did not overturn it on its own motion. Now, the appellate court must re-evaluate each defendant's intent during the purchase process, considering the dangerous nature of the animal, and re-examine the admissibility of defense evidence.

The prosecutor's office emphasized that the puma, which can weigh 60–120 kilograms as an adult, is considered a threat to human health and life due to its unpredictable behavior, especially if it escapes its enclosure or if a person enters its space. Keeping the puma in unsuitable conditions endangered the owner, household members, and the general public safety.