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.

• Diena reports that three young Armenian men consider that they were detained and heavily beaten by the policemen in Riga because of their ethnicity
• State Boarder Guard Service has detained five foreign citizens employed in Latvia without working permit
• Ministry of Justice has prepared the draft amendments to the Criminal Code stipulating criminal liability for public glorification of regime which realises genocide
• Chas prints an article about possible merge of all Russian language parties into the one political force
• Russia extradites activist of the National Bolsheviks Party Vladimir Linderman to Latvia

Diena reports that three young Armenian men consider that they were detained and heavily beaten by the policemen in Riga because of their ethnicity. According to the policemen, the three men were detained because they were drunk, aggressive, they were swearing and resisted the policemen. The Riga Central District Court has sentenced the three men to administrative arrest. However, the men have appealed the sentence in the General Prosecutors Office asserting that they were beaten by the police only because of their ethnicity.

Vesti Segodnya reports that the State Boarder Guard Service has detained five foreign citizens employed in Latvia without working permit. In the meantime, inspectors of the State Language Centre have fined 4 bus drivers for disuse of state language a work.

The Ministry of Justice has prepared the draft amendments to the Criminal Code stipulating criminal liability for “public glorification of regime which conducted genocide, public glorification or justification of persons who conducted genocide and denial of conducted genocide.” The Ministry of Justice proposes to punish such crime with up to five years of imprisonment. However, the draft amendments do not provide definition of what is genocide and do not clarify what kind of public glorification of regime would be a crime.

The Ministry of Justice has prepared the draft amendments to the Criminal Code stipulating criminal liability for public glorification of regime which conducted genocide, public glorification or justification of persons who conducted genocide and denial of conducted genocide. The Ministry of Justice proposes to punish such crime with up to five years of imprisonment. However, the draft amendments do not provide definition of what is genocide and do not clarify what kind of public glorification of regime would be a crime. Vesti Segodnya

Chas prints an article about possible merger of all Russian language parties into one political force. Columnist believes that although language divides population of Latvia into two communities, such merger is impossible in Latvia due to principal ideological differences between Russian political parties.

Newspapers report that Russia extradited an activist of the National Bolsheviks Party Vladimir Linderman to Latvia. Vladimir Linderman is accused of calls to overthrough the Latvian government by force and plotting an attempt on life of the ex-President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga in 2002.

Newspapers report that Russia extradited an activist of the National Bolsheviks Party Vladimir Linderman to Latvia. Vladimir Linderman is accused of calls to overthrough the Latvian government by force and plotting an attempt on life of the ex-President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga in 2002. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Latvijas Avize