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.

• Ombudsman Juris Jansons gives his clarification to international organisations about situation with non-citizens in Latvia

Latvijas Avize reports that the Ombudsman Juris Jansons has sent a letter to the Organisation for Cooperation and Security in Europe giving his clarification regarding situation with non-citizens in Latvia. The Ombudsman believes that some NGOs, and in particular the Congress of Non-citizens, mislead the international organisations about the situation with non-citizens. In the letter, the Ombudsman says Latvian non-citizens use all the fundamental rights foreseen by the Latvian Constitution and international documents and there are only two exceptions regarding the rights to occupy posts which are connected to state power and judiciary and the voting rights. The Ombudsman believes that the notion “non-citizens” misleads the understanding of this status on international level as it is not equal with the status of aliens or foreign nationals or stateless persons. The Ombudsman proposes to use the notion which clearly explains the status of this group of persons – former USSR citizens without Latvian or other state’s citizenship. The Ombudsman also believes that the equality principle allows and even demands for different treatment towards persons who are in different situation and, thus, difference in amount of rights of Latvian citizens and non-citizens cannot be considered as discriminatory.