A prominent Russian historian and expert on North Korea was recently detained in Latvia while delivering a lecture titled 'North Korea: What Its Leaders Want and Fear.' Following his arrest, he was taken to immigration services, and later to the border with Estonia, where he was deported from the country. The authorities indicated that the reason for his detention was his inclusion in Latvia's blacklist, which is maintained for individuals deemed security risks or undesirable in the country.

The individual, identified as A. Lankov, holds dual citizenship from Russia and Australia. In a statement made via his Telegram channel after his deportation, he expressed confusion and frustration regarding the lack of explanation from Latvian authorities about the decision. He claimed that he had been permanently expelled from Latvia without any discernible reasons offered, raising questions about the actions taken against him and the criteria for inclusion in such a blacklist.

Lankov is an established figure in the academic community, currently serving as a professor at Korea University in South Korea. His deportation has sparked conversations about academic freedom, freedom of expression, and the treatment of foreign scholars in Latvia. As of now, the Latvian government has not issued any comments about Lankov's case, leaving various stakeholders concerned about the implications of this incident on international academic collaboration and dialogue.