Alleged abuse victim's story used as a tool in political struggles

In Latvia, following parliamentary elections in which the party "Apvienotais saraksts" (United List, AS) won convincingly, attention has turned to a case involving Mārtiņš Eņģelis, a former Riga city councillor from the party "Progresīvie" (The Progressives). It became public that he may have exploited a minor.

In political circles, shortly before the election result and immediately after this information emerged, talks took place on possible changes in the leadership of Riga City Council. This suggests the story has become part of a political struggle.

According to information held by the programme "de facto", the young woman had not consented to wide publicity, nor to her story becoming an instrument in a political fight. On the contrary, what happened caused her to relive the experience.

The source gives no further details about charges or an investigation, so Eņģelis's alleged conduct remains only alleged, not proven.