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.

• Conference on combating of intolerance on the Internet
• Liepaja City Council did not authorize public events on 16 March

Yesterday, the public policy portal

Yesterday, the public policy portal www.dialogi.lv held a conference Internet Without Hate with a participation of international and local human rights experts, representatives of state institutions and internet portals. The presentations focused on the existing tendencies and solutions dealing with hate speech on the Internet. Attention was also paid to the situation in Latvia. The managing director of the internet portal www.apollo.lv stated that recently the police have started to pay more attention to manifestations of intolerance on the Internet. It is also confirmed by the data of initiated criminal cases for incitement to ethnic and racial hatred in 2005: 6 of 13 cases was regarding incitement of ethnic and racial hatred on the Internet. Integration expert Nils Muiznieks called not to pay too much attention to the manifestations of racism on the Internet, as people who propagate racism are heard only within their own circles and not in a broader public. Researcher of Providus Andrejs Judins commented that in some cases criminal liability is too severe measure for expressions of intolerance, therefore administrative penalties should be provided by Latvian legislation. Telegraf
More information about the project in Latvian and in Russian.

Yesterday, Liepaja (city in the western part of Latvia) City Council did not authorise a commemorative procession of Latvian WWII legionaries and “demonstrations against expressions of fascism” on 16 March.

Yesterday, Liepaja (city in the western part of Latvia) City Council did not authorise a commemorative procession of Latvian WWII legionaries and demonstrations against expressions of fascism on 16 March. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize, Diena, Telegraf, NRA