Historical Peculiarities of the Development of Criminal Law in Latvia

Vladimirs Terehovich - Profesor Bałtyckiej Międzynarodowej Akademii w Rydze, Elita Nimande - Docent Wydziału Prawa Uniwersytetu Łotewskiego w Rydze. W przekładzie dr Danuty Kosior.Penal law on Latvian territories was influenced by the law of states, which were governing this land. You can observe German, Danish, Polish, Swedish legal acts being in force there. From the beginning of 18th century the influence of Russian law was becoming stronger and stronger. All important Russian penal codes were in force in Latvia. Among them the most important was the 1903 penal code. It has been in force in independent Latvia for many years and influenced constructions of 1933 Latvian penal code. In 1940 Latvia was occupied by Soviets and was included into USSR as a Soviet republic. Soviet penal regulations were in force in Latvia. Even now former Soviet legal doctrine has big influence on penal law in independent Latvia