• Owner of nationalistic website Linards Grantins may be released on bail

The Prosecutor’s Office filed charges to Linards Grantins in incitement to national, ethnic or racial hatred. As reported, L. Grantins is the owner of the website “www.tautastribunals.eu” (“peoples’ tribunal”), where he and his fellows regularly publish allegedly anti-Semitic and Russophobic content, insult the state officials, politicians and other prominent persons, and on numerous occasions announce that the “peoples’ tribunal” sentenced certain persons to “the highest degree of punishment” (i.e. to “death penalty” in vernacular). L.Grantins, who permanently resides in Germany, got detained in Latviain the end of July by the Security Police. According to the court’s decision, L.Grantins may be released from custody on bail in amount of EUR 5,000. Neatkariga

• Picket for humane attitude towards asylum seekers held in Riga
• Representatives of the NGOs and state institutions took part in a public discussion “Role of NGOs in Integration of Refugees in Latvia”
• Neatkariga interviews theformer European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs about the influx of asylum seekers to Europe

Yesterday, a group of mainly young people, held a picket in support of asylum seekers in Latvia. The organisers wanted to show that Latvian residents do care and welcome persons from conflict zones irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliation. According to one of the organizers of the picket, the reception of 250 persons is too small and 2,500 asylum seekers would be a more adequate number for Latvia. Several persons protested against the picket. The picket was held in front of the Ministry of Culture which is the responsible institution for integration issues. An official of the Ministry invited the representatives of both parties to meet the Minister of Culture. Latvijas Avize, Diena

Newspapers report about a public discussion “The Role of NGOs in the Integration of Refugees in Latvia” organised by the head of the Arabic Culture Centre, MP Hosam Abu Meri in cooperation with an NGO “Shelter. Safe House.” Representatives of ministries and NGOs working with asylum seekers and refugees, as well as, two asylum seekers from Syria took part in the discussion. The asylum seekers spoke about the situation in their homeland and reasons why they decided to seek asylum in Europe. Hosam Abu Meri criticized the fact that refugees from Muslim countries are often perceived as terrorists. There are about 200 people of Arabic origin living in Latvia and they are well integrated, proficient in Latvian, and employed in different professions, said Mr Abu Meri. According to the head of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights (LCHR) A.Kamenska, integration of refugees in Latvia will be a long-term process. She stressed that the existing capacity of NGOs is too small to provide assistance to a larger number of asylum seekers. In recent years around 400 asylum seekers turned to the LCHR for assistance, and over 200 asylum seekers received legal aid, while and 60 were granted either refugee and subsidiary status in Latvia. Neatkariga, Diena

Neatkariga interviews theformer European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs about the influx of asylum seekers toEurope. According to Mr Piebalgs, accommodation of 250 asylum seekers in Latvia does not solve the problem of influx of asylum seekers to Europe and is only a gesture of solidarity with Italy, Malta and Greece. Mr Piebalgs considers that the main criteria in selecting asylum seekers to be accommodated in Latvia is their desire to become Latvian citizens, learn Latvian language, and pay taxis. Asylum seekers have to attach their lives withLatvia until the moment it is safe to return to their country of origin. 

• Weekly Sestdiena questions the MPs on whether refugees can  receive Latvian citizenship

Weekly Sestdiena questions the MPs about refugees’ right for Latvian citizenship. The Head of the Saeima’s Legal Committee Ojars Eriks Kalnins (Unity) says that refugees have right for Latvian citizenship after they have resided inLatvia for the certain period of time, learned Latvian language and were able to integrate in the society.  Mr Kalnins believes that government, politicians, entrepreneurs, religious and non-governmental organisations, and the society in general should be actively involved in the process of successful integration of refugees. The MP Edvins Snore (National Union), in his turn, doubts that refugees will be able to integrate so well to apply for citizenship. He says statement thatLatvia is able to assimilate at least one refugee is tragicomic. He is also sceptical that refugees will want to learn Latvian language and receive citizenship comparing them with large number of Russian speaking residents who have lived inLatvia for many years and are not proficient in Latvian. 

• 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. 

• Latvijas Avize asks the MPs from different parties their opinion about wearing Muslim headscarves and face-covering clothing
• Gulbene Region’s Council approved that it has premises for accommodation of refugees

Latvijas Avize asks the MPs from different parties their opinion about wearing Muslim headscarves and face-covering clothing. Rihards Kols (National Union) believes that burqas should be banned in Latvia as there is no such tradition in the Western countries. He also believes that it as a matter of security as face masks can be used maliciously in order to hide the identity. Also Lolita Cigane (Unity) thinks that headscarves completely covering the face should be banned because it is against Latvian values and wearing such clothing is humiliating for women. Nellija Kleinberga (Latvian Regions Union) stresses that immigrants should respect traditions and culture of the country they arrive to and that Latvians are not used to such type of clothing. Igors Pimenovs (Concord Centre) believes that person’s face should stay uncovered, but there is nothing provocative in wearing headscarves covering only hear. Andris Berzins (Union of Greens and Farmers) says that this issue should be well analysed taking into account experience of other countries. According to Inguna Sudraba (From Heart to Latvia), these issue can not be solved just by legal restrictions and it is a matter of explanation, education and tolerance. According to Neatkariga, ifLatvia plans to introduce any restrictions on wearing face-covering clothing such as niqab or burqa it should be done before the arrival of Muslim immigrants toLatvia. The head of the Saeima’s Legal Committee Gaidis Berzins believes that corresponding restrictions could be included in some national legal provisions.

The Gulbene Region’s Council (region in the Eastern part of Latvia) approved there are available premises for accommodation of refugees in different parishes of the region. However, according to the heads of these parishes, despite that there are even furnished apartments available, there are no places where people could be employed. Neatkariga