"This year Latvia has been shaken by a tragedy when a person did not get protected by the state and lost her life. The murder committed on April 16 in Jēkabpils, where, following a long-standing persecution, a mother was killed, unfortunately, highlighted the state's inability to protect its people. The state has not been able to protect the highest value of democratic society – life," the letter of the President stated.
The President of the State draws attention to the fact that the Law on State compensation for victims provides a natural person who has been recognized as a victim in accordance with the procedures specified in the Criminal Procedure Law with the right to receive State compensation for moral, physical suffering or loss caused by an intentional criminal offense.
"I call on the Cabinet to grant adequate and proportionate compensation regardless of the status of these persons in criminal proceedings. It is important to take into account both the duty of the State resulting from Section 93 of the Constitution and the international commitment of Latvia to act in order to protect human life, as well as the requirement of Section 110 of the Constitution, that the State particularly helps children who have remained without parental care or suffered from violence. I believe that the minimum compensation for each of these persons should be at least EUR 50,000. This amount is proportional to other cases in which the state is obliged to pay for the damage caused by its inability to fulfil its duty and to protect human life,” stated the letter from the President.
The President of the State requests the development of appropriate Cabinet legislation, which would specify the amount to which persons and the procedures for which refunds are granted and paid.
As reported, on April 16, near Jēkabpils, Leons Rusiņš stabbed his former partner and mother of his children to death in front of her mother and child. Rusiņš had previously harassed and stalked the victim for months.
Though several months have passed, Rusiņš remains at large. It is presumed he might have committed suicide, but no evidence supporting that assumption has been found.
