Russian journalist Leonid Ragozin said on October 14 that Latvian authorities had formally notified him that he was being expelled from the country, where he had lived for about 12 years.
According to Ragozin, he has been declared persona non grata. He said the notification he received did not specify any particular offense or public statement that formed the basis for the decision.
The journalist is currently outside Latvia.
Earlier in October, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said an unnamed Russian citizen had been added to the country’s list of undesirable persons. She said the decision was based on information provided by Latvia’s competent authorities following consultations with the prime minister and interior minister.
Latvian media reported at the time that the person in question was Ragozin. The journalist has now confirmed that he received a formal notice.
Ragozin says the decision is politically motivated and links it to his journalistic work. That is his own assessment, and Latvian authorities have not publicly endorsed that explanation.
Ragozin previously worked as a correspondent and producer for the BBC Russian Service, served as an editor at Russian Newsweek and contributed to several international publications. He moved to Latvia after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.