“Today, October 9, at 3 pm, the Latvian security forces detained a Russian citizen, chairman of the Republican Society of Military Veterans, retired colonel Vladimir Sergeevich Norvind,” he wrote on Facebook.
According to Gaponenko, at first Norvind was escorted under guard to the detention center for illegal migrants in Mucenieki, and then forcibly expelled from Latvia to Russia.
The formal basis for the deportation was the cancellation of the residence permit of a Russian citizen, he said.
The human rights activist believes that the activity of the former Russian military has caused the authorities' dissatisfaction.
Their organization numbered almost 2 thousand people, had 22 branches in Latvia, it defended the interests of military pensioners, provided assistance to those in need.
Another "aggravating circumstance" Gaponenko called the fact that Norvind ran the Slavic social and cultural center and helped organize holiday concerts on May 9th.
The Russian Embassy has not yet commented on the situation.