• Prosecutor terminates criminal proceedings in the case of incitement to national, ethnic and racial hatred
• Statements of the co-chairman of the Latvian Way/Latvias First Party Ainars Slesers regarding non-citizens
• Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Oskars Kastens on the proposals encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants
• Latvijas Avize reports on conference Topical Human Rights Issues in Latvia: international and national rules and recommendations
• Russian-language newspapers report on the acts of vandalism directed towards several monuments for Soviet soldiers

Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Riga Regional Court Ieva Garanca has decided to terminate criminal proceedings in the case of Andris Jordans due to the lack of features constituting criminal offence. According to the newspaper, in public discussion taking place in February this year young neo-Nazi Andris Jordans announced that it would be preferable to exterminate Jews and Roma people as ‘non-humans’. Two participants of this discussion - deputies of the Riga City Council Vladislavs Rafalskis (For Human Rights in the United Latvia) and Viktors Gluhovs (The Concord Centre) - applied to the court asking to evaluate these expressions. The criminal proceedings against Andris Jordans were initiated under the Section 78 Paragraph 1 (instigation to national, ethnic or racial hatred or enmity) of the Criminal Code. During the criminal proceedings Andris Jordans stressed that the phrase about ‘non-humans’ was expressed only with the goal to test the reaction of the organisers of the discussion.

Prosecutor of the Prosecutors Office of the Riga Regional Court Ieva Garanca has decided to terminate criminal proceedings in the case of Andris Jordans due to the lack of features constituting criminal offence. According to the newspaper, in public discussion taking place in February this year young neo-Nazi Andris Jordans announced that it would be preferable to exterminate Jews and Roma people as ‘non-humans. Two participants of this discussion - deputies of the Riga City Council Vladislavs Rafalskis (For Human Rights in the United Latvia) and Viktors Gluhovs (The Concord Centre) - applied to the court asking to evaluate these expressions. The criminal proceedings against Andris Jordans were initiated under the Section 78 Paragraph 1 (instigation to national, ethnic or racial hatred or enmity) of the Criminal Code. During the criminal proceedings Andris Jordans stressed that the phrase about ‘non-humans was expressed only with the goal to test the reaction of the organisers of the discussion.

Russian-language newspapers print the statement of the co-chairman of the Latvian Way/Latvia’s First Party Ainars Slesers believing that all the non-citizens of Latvia should be granted voting rights in municipal elections. Slesers also stresses the need for public referendum on this issue.

Russian-language newspapers print the statement of the co-chairman of the Latvian Way/Latvias First Party Ainars Slesers believing that all the non-citizens of Latvia should be granted voting rights in municipal elections. Slesers also stresses the need for public referendum on this issue. Chas, Vesti Segodnya

Diena prints an article by the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Oskars Kastens about the proposals encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants. According to the minister, all the parts involved in the elaboration of these proposals (among them representatives of the Integration Secretariat, Ministry of Welfare, State Employment Agency, Association of Public and Private Partnership, Latvian Association for Latvians in Ireland etc.) evaluated the granting of double citizenship to the children of Latvian citizens who are born abroad as very important aspect encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants.

Latvijas Avize reports on conference Topical Human Rights Issues in Latvia: international and national rules and recommendations. Director of the Human Rights Institute of the University of Latvia Arturs Kucs has pointed to the problems in the area of implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. According to Kucs, Latvian courts quite often have difficulties to prove the racial motivation of the crime because of the incompetence of the police: racially motivated offences have been qualified and investigated as hooliganism by the police. Representative of the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia before International Human Rights Organisations Inga Reine pointed to the increasing amount of claims received by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) from the residents of Latvia. 30 claims have been received during the first seven months of this year instead of 22 claims in the last year.

Russian-language newspapers report on the acts of vandalism directed towards the monument for Soviet soldiers in the Saldus district and the monument for the commander of the Defence of Liepaja, major-general Nikolajs Dedajevs in Liepaja.

Russian-language newspapers report on the acts of vandalism directed towards the monument for Soviet soldiers in the Saldus district and the monument for the commander of the Defence of Liepaja, major-general Nikolajs Dedajevs in Liepaja. Chas

• Weekly Nedela features an article about the need to attract the guest workers
• Latvijas Avize: Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration discredits the State Language Inspection

Weekly

Weekly Nedela features an article about the need to attract the guest workers to the Latvian labour market. Referring to statistical information, journal informs that great proportion of guest workers are employed in the sectors of construction, transport and communications and manufacturing.

Latvijas Avize reproaches the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration Oskars Kastens for publicly discrediting the work of the State Language Inspection. The minister criticised the work of the inspection during the interview to the TV broadcasting First Persons of the State.

• Article on proposals encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants
• The Constitutional Court terminated proceedings on the case of double citizenship
• Russian-language newspapers report on the planned closure of Russian-language class and Russian-language school

Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society integration has elaborated proposals encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants. Among other, the proposals stipulate the granting of double citizenship to the children of Latvian citizens who are born abroad. The ministry also proposes to evaluate a possibility to grant double citizenship to the spouses of Latvian citizens.

Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society integration has elaborated proposals encouraging the return of Latvian emigrants. Among other, the proposals stipulate the granting of double citizenship to the children of Latvian citizens who are born abroad. The ministry also proposes to evaluate a possibility to grant double citizenship to the spouses of Latvian citizens. Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Chas

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia decided to terminate the proceedings on the case of double citizenship. The claim was submitted by Marks Locovs, a citizen of Israel and Latvia, and his wife Diana Locova. Their daughter was not registered as a citizen of Latvia. The claimants contested that Item 2 of the First Paragraph of Article 3 and the First Paragraph of Article 9 of the Citizenship Law do not comply with the principles of equality and non-discrimination enshrined in the Article 91 of the Constitution. Item 2 of the First Paragraph of Article 3 of the Citizenship Law determines that a child born outside of Latvia shall be recognised as a citizen of Latvia if the parent with whom the child lives was permanently residing in Latvia on the day of the child’s birth, while the First Paragraph of Article 9 of the Law determines that the granting of Latvia citizenship to a person shall not lead to dual citizenship. The Constitutional Court decided that the contested norms were not applicable to their case and therefore their fundamental rights were not violated. The Constitutional Court decision is final and cannot be appealed.

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia decided to terminate the proceedings on the case of double citizenship. The claim was submitted by Marks Locovs, a citizen of Israel and Latvia, and his wife Diana Locova. Their daughter was not registered as a citizen of Latvia. The claimants contested that Item 2 of the First Paragraph of Article 3 and the First Paragraph of Article 9 of the Citizenship Law do not comply with the principles of equality and non-discrimination enshrined in the Article 91 of the Constitution. Item 2 of the First Paragraph of Article 3 of the Citizenship Law determines that a child born outside of Latvia shall be recognised as a citizen of Latvia if the parent with whom the child lives was permanently residing in Latvia on the day of the childs birth, while the First Paragraph of Article 9 of the Law determines that the granting of Latvia citizenship to a person shall not lead to dual citizenship. The Constitutional Court decided that the contested norms were not applicable to their case and therefore their fundamental rights were not violated. The Constitutional Court decision is final and cannot be appealed. Latvijas Avize

Russian-language newspapers report on the planned closure of Russian-language class and Russian-language school.

Russian-language newspapers report on the planned closure of Russian-language class and Russian-language school. Vesti Segodnya informs that first grade for Russian-speaking students of the only Lielvarde two-stream school will not be opened due to the lack of students. According to the newspaper, there is no Russian-language kindergarten in this town, hence most of the parents of Russian-speaking children bring their children to Latvian-language kindergarten and afterwards also to the Latvian-language schools. The newspaper also features a story about the Russian family living in Lielvarde, who have to bring their children to the near town to provide them an education in their native language. At the same time Chas informs about the liquidation of the Russian-language Secondary School Nr.17 in Riga allegedly also due to prolonged inability to gather first grade in it. Vesti Segodnya, Chas

• Days of Latgale Belorussians takes place in Riga this weekend

Latvijas Avize features an article about Days of Latgale (region in the southeastern part of Latvia) Belarussians. The Days of Belorussians will take place on Friday and Saturday in Riga enabling society to learn more about the Belorussian culture, traditions, values and literature. The event is supported financially by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Society Integration.

• State Language Centre initiates inspection against the organisers of the concert
• Articles about demonstration planned by the radical National Democratic Party and the union Dzimtene on 8 September

Russian-language newspapers report on inspection initiated by the State Language Centre against the organisers of the concert of pop-groups

Russian-language newspapers report on inspection initiated by the State Language Centre against the organisers of the concert of pop-groups Boney M and Eruption. According to the newspapers, the inspection is dissatisfied with the fact that expressions of the musicians during the concert were translated in Russian instead of Latvian as demanded by the law. Telegraf, Vesti Segodnya

Russian-language newspapers feature articles about demonstration planned by the radical National Democratic Party (NDP) and the union Dzimtene on 8 September. The slogans used by the organisers of the demonstration are traditional, for example, granting of Latvian citizenship to all the residents of Latvia, granting the official status to Russian language and others. The leader of the NDP Jevgenijs Osipovs has stressed that more radical activities, ‘similar to those in France’, could follow if the demands of this demonstration will not be taken into account by the government. The character of these ‘radical activities’ was not specified by Jevgenijs Osipovs.

Russian-language newspapers feature articles about demonstration planned by the radical National Democratic Party (NDP) and the union Dzimtene on 8 September. The slogans used by the organisers of the demonstration are traditional, for example, granting of Latvian citizenship to all the residents of Latvia, granting the official status to Russian language and others. The leader of the NDP Jevgenijs Osipovs has stressed that more radical activities, ‘similar to those in France, could follow if the demands of this demonstration will not be taken into account by the government. The character of these ‘radical activities was not specified by Jevgenijs Osipovs. Telegraf, Chas