Latvian Saeima expands border guards’ powers to use force and weapons — LSM English

On October 29, the Latvian Saeima adopted amendments to the State Border Guard Law and the Criminal Procedure Law. They more clearly define border guards’ authority to use force and are intended to strengthen the protection of border infrastructure against hybrid attacks, LSM English reports.

Use of force and weapons

The amendments grant border guards the right to use physical force, special combat techniques, weapons and service dogs to repel an attack on a person or a state border infrastructure facility. Previously, the law did not separately provide for such powers to repel attacks.

The changes also allow weapons to be used without warning if it is impossible to issue a warning in a specific situation. If a person is injured or killed as a result of the use of weapons, the border guard must immediately, but no later than within 24 hours, notify the prosecutor’s office.

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Changes to investigations

Separate amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law stipulate that criminal offenses committed by a border guard as a public official while performing duties under the enhanced operation regime of the border guard system will be investigated by authorized officials of the State Border Guard.

Raimonds Bergmanis, chairman of the Saeima Defence Committee, said that a hybrid war is ongoing at the country’s external border, and that the inviolability of the border and protection of infrastructure are part of Latvia’s territorial integrity.