Aivars Lembergs: The purpose of my imprisonment is to prevent me from running in municipal elections

Uldis Dreiblats, Ritums Rozenbergs schedule11.mar 2021

IN THE FIRST LETTER FROM PRISON Aivars Lembergs calls on all logical-minded people to base their conclusions on true facts, not fiction. © Mārtiņš ZILGALVIS, F64 Photo Agency

Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs has been imprisoned in Riga Central Prison since February 22, still not knowing the official reasoning of the court as to why such a security measure has been applied without the possibility to appeal it. The only logical explanation for the arrest is to prevent the politician from participating in the upcoming municipal elections.

Using the services of the state joint stock company Latvijas Pasts, Neatkarīgā asked A. Lembergs several questions in writing. Although the letters travel from the outskirts of the city of Riga to the addressee for at least six days, they successfully reached their goal and thus provide the opportunity to receive answers to the questions asked. Along with the answers, Neatkarīgā also received a letter from A. Lembergs dated March 4 to all logical-minded people, which we publish in full.

Have you been formally or informally informed of the grounds for the harshest security measure - imprisonment? If no reasons have been given, what are the possibilities for disputing this security measure?

No. No justification has been given for the harshest security measure against me after a 14-year hiatus. It's just a short decision - arrest!

In addition, contrary to the general procedure, I am denied the right to appeal the decision within 3 days. This complaint should be heard by a higher court, i.e., by the Senate of the Supreme Court within 10 days. However, these principles of human rights protection do not apply to political opposition. The court's decision makes no mention of the appeal, although this should be mandatory.

Publicly available information indicates that you have an active lifestyle. Do you have the opportunity to do the necessary exercises to maintain your health in prison conditions? How is your health?

The court, in imposing imprisonment as a security measure, completely ignored my state of health and the possibility of receiving the treatment prescribed by a doctor in prison. I can't do my treatment. 14 years ago, when I found myself in a similar situation, I ended up with a group II disability.

Judging by the posts on social networks, your political opponent Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis is very pleased with your arrest. Does the security measure applied to you significantly increase the chances of Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis to succeed in the upcoming municipal elections?

Kristovskis' happiness has a basis. The arrest as a security measure for Lembergs, the leader of the government's opposition, is logical and understandable. It is pre-election time and lists of candidates must be submitted. The prison cell has no access not only to the Internet but also to the telephone. It is a "great" place for Lembergs' political activities during the pre-election period.

Moreover, this is happening in a context where government's television channels and radio are spreading extremely active dissemination of fake news about me, about the accusation against me, about the verdict in which I have been acquitted of most of the accusation. Where I was not acquitted, by analyzing the text, you can see that there are errors, contradictions, nonsense and a huge amount of wording that is incomprehensible to an educated person. The court copied the text of the indictment with all grammatical and punctuation errors. It was the worst option we expected.

Is there a message you want to convey to your supporters through Neatkarīgā?

The government-controlled media and Kristovskis claim:

- first, that Lembergs has been convicted and that the judgment has entered into force, without mentioning that it is only the first of the three instances;

- second, Lembergs has stolen hundreds of millions of euros from the state, the people, Ventspils, although there is no such criminal proceedings, no such accusation or court judgment;

- third, it is concealed that the extortion was "committed" in 1993-1995, that the ones victimized by me are poor - ex-prosecutor Valentīns Kokalis, the most influential and richest men of that time Ainārs Gulbis (JSC SWH Rīga), Jūlijs Krūmiņš (SIA MAN-Tess), Aleksandrs Lavents (Banka Baltija), although he expressed his outrage in court and categorically denied extortion. Another victim is also my friend and ally Vladimirs Krastiņš, who at the end of 2006 testified that he had a friendly relationship with Lembergs, but a year later that I had endangered his health in 1995. To date, none of the "victims" have applied to the police or the prosecutor's office during the entire period from 1993-1995 until 2007, when they suddenly became victims at the initiative of prosecutor Andis Mežsargs;

- fourth, the government-controlled media openly lie about my ownership of shares and stocks in various companies in Latvia and abroad. In this respect, a special one-hour lie show on LTV, led by Guntis Bojārs, stands out. They spend taxpayers' money to behave like grandchildren on Paul Joseph Goebbels on TV and radio, serving this most unpopular government and the government parties, including Kristovskis, who has ruined everything he could in his life. His last feat - sinking the port of Ventspils in one year.