Integration monitor is a daily Latvian press digest on ethnic minority and society integration issues. The Monitor reviews the biggest Latvian dailies: Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga (in Latvian language), Vesti Segodnya (in Russian language). In specific cases other information sources are used. Latvian Centre for Human Rights is not responsible for information published by the media.

• Latvias intelligentsia condemns recent expressions of racism and homophobia in Latvia

Diena prints an open letter signed by the number of representatives of the Latvian inteligentsua. The letter calls the society to turn against racism, anti-Semitism and homophobia in Latvia. The authors of the letter express their concern about a number of attacks on dark-skinned people that have taken place in Riga recently. They note that only one of these incidents has been qualified as racially motivated attack, while others were categorised as simple hooliganism. The authors of the letter express their concern also regarding intolerance of society, in particular politicians, towards gay people. The authors of the letter refer to the difficulties organisers of the Gay Pride experienced – first, the Riga City Council to authorise the Pride, then cancelled the authorisation after a number of politicians and officials stated that such Prides are not acceptable for the majority of society. In the conclusions the authors of the open letter call the society not to believe persons, including politicians, who justify intolerance by ‘Christian values. The letter is signed by 183 representatives of Latvian intelligentsia and foreigners living in Latvia.