Roberts Mūrnieks (4 July 1952 – 16 January 1991) was the first person killed by Soviet

OMON OMON is a system of military special police units within the Armed Forces of Russia. It previously operated within the structures of the Soviet and Russian Ministries of Internal Affairs (MVD). Originating as the special forces unit of the So ...

during

the Barricades The Barricades () were a series of confrontations between the Republic of Latvia and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in January 1991 which took place mainly in Riga. The events are named for the popular effort of building and protecting ...

in 1991 in

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

. His funeral became a public protest against

Soviet occupation During World War II, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed several countries effectively handed over by Nazi Germany in the secret Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939. These included the eastern regions of Poland (incorporated into three differe ...

and aggression in Latvia.

Biography

Mūrnieks was born on 4 July 1952 in Pelši,

Preiļi district Preiļi (; Polish language, Polish: ''Prele''; ; , previously also ''Прели'') is a town in Preiļi Municipality in the Latgale region of Latvia. It is also the administrative center of Preiļi Municipality. History Preiļi is one of the olde ...

in the

Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Also known as the Latvian SSR, or Latvia) was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1941, and then from 1944 until 1990. The Soviet occupation and annexation of Latvia began between J ...

, which today is Latvia. He went to

Preiļi Preiļi (; Polish: ''Prele''; ; , previously also ''Прели'') is a town in Preiļi Municipality in the Latgale region of Latvia. It is also the administrative center of Preiļi Municipality. History Preiļi is one of the oldest settlements i ...

High School No.1, but moved to

Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...

with his family after 5th grade. In 1991, Mūrnieks was working for the Ministry of Transport as a driver, when he was shot in the head near Vecmīlgrāvis bridge during the events of the Barricades. He died from the injury on 16 January 1991, at Riga Hospital No.1. On 17 January, the

Supreme Council of Latvia The Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republikas Augstākā Padome) was the transitional parliament of Latvia from 1990 to 1993, after the restoration of independence. The Supreme Council was elected on 1990 as the S ...

expressed condolences for Mūrnieks' death, saying it was as a result of banditry by a militia unit of the

Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR (MVD; ) was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union from 1946 to 1991. The MVD was established as the successor to the NKVD during reform of the People's Commissariat, People's Commissariats into t ...

, and created a commission to organise his funeral. He was buried in Mārupe Cemetery, and his funeral became a focal point of popular protest.

Award

In 2010, Roberts Mūrnieks was awarded the

Order of Viesturs The Order of Viesturs () is a Latvian state order (honour), order founded in 1938, which was temporarily discontinued in 1940 by the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940, Soviet occupation of Latvia, but was re-established in 2004. The order is nam ...

for outstanding merit in defending Latvia's independence and was recognised as Commander of the Order of Viesturs.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murnieks, Roberts Latvian independence activists 1952 births 1991 deaths People from Riga