On 18 October 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, took a decision in accordance with Section 61, Paragraph two of the Immigration Law on including citizens of the Russian Federation, Artemy Lebedev and Valery Ponomarenko, in the list of personae non gratae in the Republic of Latvia. The ban on entering Latvia is imposed on the said persons for an indefinite period of time.
Artemy Lebedev is a designer and blogger known in certain circles; Valery Ponomarenko was to give performances in Rēzekne and Dugavpils.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with competent authorities, including the Latvian State Security Service, evaluates the facts that have come to its knowledge and, in accordance with Section 61, Paragraph two of the Immigration Law, determines whether persons should be included in the list of personae non gratae in the Republic of Latvia and banned from entering Latvia for an indefinite period of time. On separate occasions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs the public about the decision.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the organisers of public events to always carefully ascertain the reputation and actions of anybody to be invited, abiding by and respecting Latvia’s principles-based support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Latvia utterly condemns the aggression unleashed by Russia on Ukraine and its territorial integrity in 2014, as well as the unprovoked and unjustified full-scale military invasion of Ukraine.