Ex-head of Early Music Department at Latvian Academy of Music faces prosecution for sexual abuse of female students

  • 2025-01-29
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - The State Police has asked the prosecution office to charge Maris Kupcs, the former head of the Early Music Department at the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music (JVLMA) with sexual abuse of female students, LETA learned.

Kupcs was one of the JVLMA academic staff members who were sacked in March 2024 after the harassment scandal broke out at the academy.

As LETA reported, The scandal over the alleged sexual harassment of female students at the Latvian Academy of Music broke out in March after LTV's Kultursoks (Culture Shock) program obtained testimonies of seven female JVLMA students alleging sexual harassment by certain academic staff members.

The State Police opened criminal proceedings in connection with the information about the alleged harassment of female students at the JVLMA. The criminal investigation was initiated under the section of the Criminal Code on offences against morality and sexual integrity.

Two members of the JVLMA academic staff - Kupcs and Rolands Kronlaks - were fired in the wake of the harassment scandal.

On January 24, the criminal case was forwarded to the prosecution office of the Riga judicial region for prosecution.

Riga Regional Court ruled recently to reinstate Kronlaks to his previous job at the JVLMA.