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.

• Janis Iesalnieks uses ethnic slur arguing for extradition of ethnic minority cyber crime suspect

 

Newspapers report about unexpected twist of controversy regarding the request of the U.S.A. to extradite ethnic minority Latvian citizen Deniss Calovskis suspected of cyber crimes. As the extradition was delayed, Janis Iesalnieks, board member of the radical nationalist union "All for Latvia! - For Fatherland and Freedom / Latvian National Independence Movement" (AFL!-FFF/LNIM), a senior consultant to the AFL!-FFF/LNIM has commented in his Twitter account: "Why do we need this criminal "urlens"? Getting rid of those is completely in accordance with the positions of the National union". NRA commented that so far, none of Latvia's government parties was so open about sorting out the citizens by ethnicity. "Urla" is an outdated slang term, which in 1930s-1950s was used to describe criminals, and which is currently applied by some radical nationalists to describe ethnic Russians. Latvijas Avize, NRA, Vesti-Segodnya