Dec 06 2008

• State Border Guard Service detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who resided in Latvia illegally since 2007
• Latvijas Avize prints an article about asylum seekers in Europe and Latvia

Vesti Segodnya reports that the State Border Guard Service has detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who resided in Latvia illegally since June 2007. The detained man is placed in the Olaine Camp for illegal immigrants.

Latvijas Avize prints an article about asylum seekers in Europe and Latvia. According to representative of the Latvian Citizenship and Migration Affairs Office, number of asylum seekers in Latvia has grown since the country joined the Schengen treaty. 251 persons (mostly from Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somali, and Belarus) have appealed for asylum in Latvia from 2000 until 1 December of 2008. Status of refugee was granted to 17 persons and 21 persons were granted alternative status.