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.

• Security Police refuse to initiate a criminal case for calls to exterminate Jews
• The World Association of Newspapers and the World Editor Forum concerned at criminal prosecution and apparent intimidation campaign against the daily Chas
• Working group plans to develop amendments to the Law on Higher Education to regulate the use of Latvian in private Russian universities
• Conference ‘Russians of the European Union: Co-operation Experiences with Local Municipalities will be held in Estonia

After a year long investigation the Security Police refused to initiate a criminal case for calls to exterminate Jews published in the web page of ultra nationalists. The Security Police claim that the material does not have the corpus delicti. Criminal law expert Aleksandrs Judins, who asked the Security Police to investigate this case, believes that the refusal is not justified, as the material, which contains an open call to exterminate a group of people of certain ethnicity, is a criminal offence. However, he admits that Latvian legislation does not provide police with effective instruments to deal with racially motivated crimes. According to Latvian legislation criminal charges for incitement to ethnic hatred may be brought only if it can be proved that a person has had an intention to incite ethnic hatred. A number of criminal law and human rights experts have advised that in cases, when it is difficult to prove that the action was intentional, administrative charges should be used. Although the necessary amendments to the Criminal Law and Administrative Violation Code have been already developed, the Saeima is hindering with the adoption.

After a year long investigation the Security Police refused to initiate a criminal case for calls to exterminate Jews published in the web page of ultra nationalists. The Security Police claim that the material does not have the corpus delicti. Criminal law expert Aleksandrs Judins, who asked the Security Police to investigate this case, believes that the refusal is not justified, as the material, which contains an open call to exterminate a group of people of certain ethnicity, is a criminal offence. However, he admits that Latvian legislation does not provide police with effective instruments to deal with racially motivated crimes. According to Latvian legislation criminal charges for incitement to ethnic hatred may be brought only if it can be proved that a person has had an intention to incite ethnic hatred. A number of criminal law and human rights experts have advised that in cases, when it is difficult to prove that the action was intentional, administrative charges should be used. Although the necessary amendments to the Criminal Law and Administrative Violation Code have been already developed, the Saeima is hindering with the adoption. Diena

Diena reports that The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and the World Editor Forum (WEF) concerned at criminal prosecution and apparent intimidation campaign against the daily Chas printed in the Russian language in Latvia. The organisations sent a letter to the Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis asking to examine whether criminal charges against the daily could be politically motivated. The Ministry of Justice on the behalf of the Latvian Government responded that there has been any political motivation and stated that the Security Police have acted in accordance with the effective legislation. As reported the Security Police brought a criminal action against Chas on the basis of the application of MP Aleksandrs Kirsteins who accused the newspaper in the incitement to ethnic hatred and violation of race quality in a number of newspapers articles.

The working group under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Science will examine the use of the Latvian language at private universities, which provide studies in Russian. According to the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry currently about 6-10% of total amount of studies and examinations at these universities is conducted in Latvian. However, he believes that new legal norms, which would regulate the use of Latvian and set a specific proportion of languages to be used at Russian universities, should be adopted. The Head of the Integration Department of the Ministry Evija Papule does not support the idea.

The working group under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Science will examine the use of the Latvian languageat private universities, which provide studies in Russian.According to the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry currently about 6-10% of total amount of studies and examinations at these universities is conductedin Latvian. However, he believes that new legal norms, which would regulate the use of Latvian and seta specific proportion oflanguages tobe used at Russian universities, should be adopted. The Head of the Integration Department of the Ministry Evija Papule does not support the idea. Diena, Vesti Segodnya, Telegraf

The conference ‘Russians of the European Union: Co-operation Experiences with Local Municipalities’ will be held in Estonian cities Tallinn and Narva on 7-9 October.

The conference ‘Russians of the European Union: Co-operation Experiences with Local Municipalities will be held in Estonian cities Tallinn and Narva on 7-9 October. Latvijas Avize