On 28 August 2006, Latvian Centre for Human Rights (LCHR) held a seminar "Policing Hate Crime" organized as a part of a three-year project on anti-discrimination capacity raising implemented by LCHR in partnership with Netherlands Helsinki Committee and funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MATRA funding).
On 30-31 May, 2006 the Latvian Centre for Human Rights in co-operation with MediaWise Trust (UK) organised a training seminar for media “Reporting on Closed Institutions (prisons, police cells, psychiatric institutions, detention cells for illegal migrants)”. The training was part of the European Commission funded project of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights “Monitoring Human Rights and Prevention of Torture in Closed institutions: prisons, police cells and mental health care institutions in Baltic countries”.
In Latvia, similarly to many other new EU member states, institutional care at psychiatric hospitals and social care homes at present is the most widespread form of care for users of mental health services. In January 2005 Latvia, together with other countries of the European Region of World Health Organisation (WHO) signed the Mental Health Declaration and Mental Health Plan of Action for Europe 2005 – 2010, which demands that the relevant authorities in each member state introduce a mental health policy and legislation harmonized with international standards and develop public care for persons with serious mental disorders to replace care in large institutions. However, to date deinstitutionalisation and development of community based services is progressing slowly.
The policy paper provides an overview of closed institutions in Latvia and key trends in their reform since the country regained independence in 1991, highlights the role of international organisations (relevant UN, Council of Europe bodies, European Commission) in assessing Latvia’s compliance with international human rights standards in closed facilities and their conclusions and recommendations concerning the work of domestic inspection bodies.
Summary about human rights in Latvia in 2005 prepared for annual report of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights.
