Helsinki-86

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Helsinki-86 The CTAG Helsinki-86 (Human Rights Defense Group) was founded in July, 1986 in the Latvian port town of Liepaja (formerly known as Libau, in the German language) by three workers: Linards Grantins, Raimonds Bitenieks, and Martins Bariss, respectively. Helsinki-86 was the first opely anti-Communist organization, not only among the three occupied Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), but also the first openly organized opposition to the Soviet regime; setting an example for the future Pro-Independence movements for all ethnic minorities of the former Soviet Union. By the beginning of 1988, there were nearly twenty members of CTAG Helsinki-86. The most prominent among them, aside from the founding members were Rolands Silaraups, Konstantins Pupurs, Juris Vidins, Juris Ziemelis, Alfreds Zarins, Heino Lams, and Edmunds Cirvelis. By mid-1988, some of the most active members had been expelled by the Soviet authorities to the West.

On June 14, 1987, the group organised the first peaceful anti-Communist demonstration with a customary placing of flowers at the base of the Freedom Monument (Brivibas Piemineklis) in the Latvian capital, Riga. This event demonstrated the rebirth of national courage and self-confidence in Latvia.

On August 23, 1987, the group organised a protest demonstration against the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which among numerous other historical events resulted in the Soviet Occupation of Latvia, in 1940, during the administration of Latvian President/Prime Minister Karlis Ulmanis. Historically, on November 18, 1987, Latvian Independence Day was celebrated for the first time since 1940. On March 25, 1988 the group called for the Latvian people to gather by the Freedom Monument in Riga to commemorate the victims of the Soviet Terror. On that particular day, it became evident that the Pro-Independence leadership began a gradual transition of influence from Helsinki-86 to the moderate Latvian Communists, and the national prominent elites, who for the first time openly invited Latvian citizens to come in mass to a different Riga location: the Cemetery of Fallen Soldiers. On June 14, 1988, the first time during the Soviet occupation, the group organised and openly carried through the streets of Riga for thousands of people to see, the Latvian national maroon-white-maroon flag.

As a political party, it unsuccessfully competed in Latvian parliamentary election of 1998.

In 2003 a new nationalistic political party - National Power Unity was formed on the basis of Helsinki-86 by Helsinki-86 members Aigars Prusis and Viktors Birze.