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.

 

• Prosecutor terminates criminal proceedings in the case of incitement to national, ethnic and racial hatred
• Statements of the co-chairman of the Latvian Way/Latvias First Party Ainars Slesers regarding non-citizens
• Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Oskars Kastens on the proposals encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants
• Latvijas Avize reports on conference Topical Human Rights Issues in Latvia: international and national rules and recommendations
• Russian-language newspapers report on the acts of vandalism directed towards several monuments for Soviet soldiers

Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Riga Regional Court Ieva Garanca has decided to terminate criminal proceedings in the case of Andris Jordans due to the lack of features constituting criminal offence. According to the newspaper, in public discussion taking place in February this year young neo-Nazi Andris Jordans announced that it would be preferable to exterminate Jews and Roma people as ‘non-humans’. Two participants of this discussion - deputies of the Riga City Council Vladislavs Rafalskis (For Human Rights in the United Latvia) and Viktors Gluhovs (The Concord Centre) - applied to the court asking to evaluate these expressions. The criminal proceedings against Andris Jordans were initiated under the Section 78 Paragraph 1 (instigation to national, ethnic or racial hatred or enmity) of the Criminal Code. During the criminal proceedings Andris Jordans stressed that the phrase about ‘non-humans’ was expressed only with the goal to test the reaction of the organisers of the discussion.

Prosecutor of the Prosecutors Office of the Riga Regional Court Ieva Garanca has decided to terminate criminal proceedings in the case of Andris Jordans due to the lack of features constituting criminal offence. According to the newspaper, in public discussion taking place in February this year young neo-Nazi Andris Jordans announced that it would be preferable to exterminate Jews and Roma people as ‘non-humans. Two participants of this discussion - deputies of the Riga City Council Vladislavs Rafalskis (For Human Rights in the United Latvia) and Viktors Gluhovs (The Concord Centre) - applied to the court asking to evaluate these expressions. The criminal proceedings against Andris Jordans were initiated under the Section 78 Paragraph 1 (instigation to national, ethnic or racial hatred or enmity) of the Criminal Code. During the criminal proceedings Andris Jordans stressed that the phrase about ‘non-humans was expressed only with the goal to test the reaction of the organisers of the discussion.

Russian-language newspapers print the statement of the co-chairman of the Latvian Way/Latvia’s First Party Ainars Slesers believing that all the non-citizens of Latvia should be granted voting rights in municipal elections. Slesers also stresses the need for public referendum on this issue.

Russian-language newspapers print the statement of the co-chairman of the Latvian Way/Latvias First Party Ainars Slesers believing that all the non-citizens of Latvia should be granted voting rights in municipal elections. Slesers also stresses the need for public referendum on this issue. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Diena prints an article by the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Oskars Kastens about the proposals encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants. According to the minister, all the parts involved in the elaboration of these proposals (among them representatives of the Integration Secretariat, Ministry of Welfare, State Employment Agency, Association of Public and Private Partnership, Latvian Association for Latvians in Ireland etc.) evaluated the granting of double citizenship to the children of Latvian citizens who are born abroad as very important aspect encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants.

Latvijas Avize reports on conference Topical Human Rights Issues in Latvia: international and national rules and recommendations. Director of the Human Rights Institute of the University of Latvia Arturs Kucs has pointed to the problems in the area of implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. According to Kucs, Latvian courts quite often have difficulties to prove the racial motivation of the crime because of the incompetence of the police: racially motivated offences have been qualified and investigated as hooliganism by the police. Representative of the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia before International Human Rights Organisations Inga Reine pointed to the increasing amount of claims received by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) from the residents of Latvia. 30 claims have been received during the first seven months of this year instead of 22 claims in the last year.

Russian-language newspapers report on the acts of vandalism directed towards the monument for Soviet soldiers in the Saldus district and the monument for the commander of the Defence of Liepaja, major-general Nikolajs Dedajevs in Liepaja.

Russian-language newspapers report on the acts of vandalism directed towards the monument for Soviet soldiers in the Saldus district and the monument for the commander of the Defence of Liepaja, major-general Nikolajs Dedajevs in Liepaja. Chas