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.

• Weekly IR prints a comprehensive article “9 myths about refugees”
• Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis: debates on wearing face-covering clothing in Latvia has to be organised carefully and with responsibility
• Latvijas Avize criticizes the fact that several young people from Latvia take part in a Russia’s educative military-sports camp again

Weekly IR prints a comprehensive article “9 myths about refugees.” The article explains the main facts about planned accommodation of asylum seekers inLatvia, the procedure on granting asylum or subsidiary status, the system of benefits and other issues. The article explains thatLatvia plans to accommodate 250 asylum seekers whose application for asylum will be evaluated by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. Persons who will be granted refugee or subsidiary status will receive residence permit and benefits for a limited period of time.  The persons who will be refused in status will be returned to their country of origin. The article explains why people are escaping from their country of origin toEurope and why they are using illegal transportation ways.

According to the Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis, debates on wearing face-covering clothing in Latviacan happen but it has to be done carefully and with responsibility in order to prevent harsh reactions. The Minister says that Latviawill also determine situations when face cannot be fully covered due security concerns. Among new already identified problems the Minister mentions hundreds of Latvian residents who converted to Islam.  Mostly those are young males. It is also known that there are some Latvian Muslims (with Latvian names and surnames) who went to Syriain order to join the ISIS. Neatkariga

Latvijas Avize criticizes the fact that several young people fromLatvia take part in aRussia’s educative military-sports camp again. According to the MPs head of the Saeima’s Security, Interior and Corruption Prevention Committee Ainars Latkovskis and member of the Saeima’s Legal Committee Andrejs Judins, it is not possible for a democratic state to forbid young people who have parents’ permission of going there. At the same time, the Minister of Interior Rihards Kozlovskis says that inter-institutional working group is working currently on legal provisions limiting young people’s participation in such military camps.