• Chas features an interview with a political scientist Valts Kalnins on integration issues

Chas features an interview with a political scientist Valts Kalnins on integration issues. Valts Kalnins has stated that successful ethnic policy must be based on compromises. Mr. Kalnins criticized Latvian government for its unwillingness to co-operate and to discuss integration issues with opposition parties representing Russian speaking minorities. According to Mr. Kalnins, the implementation of education reform, the State Language Law, the Citizenship Law, and the Law on Elections deprive a considerable large part of the society of their basic rights. Valts Kalnins believed that Latvian society would not be segregated if non-citizens were granted voting rights already 10 years ago. Valts Kalnins also believed that speeding-up of naturalisation process would be a step towards integrated society.

• Chas: 151 persons from Africa reside in Latvia at present

According to

According to Chas, 151 persons from Africa reside in Latvia at present. According to the members of the Afro-Latvian Association (AfroLat), there are manifestations of racism in Latvia because not all residents accept people with a dark skin color as equal. Therefore, overcoming of negative stereotypes towards black skinned people is one of the AfroLats core objectives.

• Riga Central District Court has announced a sentence in a case on assault on a citizen of Brazil by two skinheads
• Cabinet of Ministers has granted Latvian citizenship through naturalisation to 480 persons
• Diena features an interview with a candidate for the post of the President of Latvia Aivars Endzins

Yesterday, the Riga Central District Court has announced a sentence in a case on assault on a citizen of Brazil by two skinheads. As reported, a Brazilian girl and two men who accompanied her were attacked by a group of skinheads in the centre of Riga in December 2006. Two of the skinheads were detained shortly after the accident. The Security Police have asked the Prosecutor’s Office to initiate a criminal prosecution against two 17-year-old men under the Section 78 of the Criminal Code for violation of ethnic or racial equality. However, the crime was qualified as hooliganism committed in a group of people. One of the accused persons was sentenced to three years of suspended imprisonment and two years of trial period while another person - to two years of suspended imprisonment and one year of trial period.

Yesterday, the Riga Central District Court has announced a sentence in a case on assault on a citizen of Brazil by two skinheads. As reported, a Brazilian girl and two men who accompanied her were attacked by a group of skinheads in the centre of Riga in December 2006. Two of the skinheads were detained shortly after the accident. The Security Police have asked the Prosecutors Office to initiate a criminal prosecution against two 17-year-old men under the Section 78 of the Criminal Code for violation of ethnic or racial equality. However, the crime was qualified as hooliganism committed in a group of people. One of the accused persons was sentenced to three years of suspended imprisonment and two years of trial period while another person - to two years of suspended imprisonment and one year of trial period. Vesti Segodnya, Chas, Latvijas Avize

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted Latvian citizenship through naturalisation to 480 persons. 63% of new citizens are Russians, 11% - Ukrainians, 13% - Belorussians.  In total, 119, 680 persons were granted citizenship since the procedure was launched in 1995.

Yesterday, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted Latvian citizenship through naturalisation to 480 persons. 63% of new citizens are Russians, 11% - Ukrainians, 13% - Belorussians. In total, 119, 680 persons were granted citizenship since the procedure was launched in 1995. Vesti Segodnya

Diena features an interview with a candidate for the post of the President of Latvia, ex-Chairman of the Constitutional Court, Aivars Endzins. Mr. Endzins has stated that he does not support a proposal to grant non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections. According to Aivars Endzins, Latvian Citizenship Law is one of the most liberal in Europe. He also believes that non-citizens would lose motivation to naturalise if they are granted voting rights.

• Riga Regional Court has acquitted national radicals Aivars Garda, Liga Muzikante and Ilze Liepa
• Head of the Security Police: eight criminal cases on incitement to ethnic or racial hatred have been initiated during first four months of 2007

Yesterday, the Riga Regional Court has acquitted the leader of the extreme right-wing organisation Latvian National Front Aivars Garda and the organisation’s members Liga Muzikante and Ilze Liepa who also publish the national radical newspaper

Yesterday, the Riga Regional Court has acquitted the leader of the extreme right-wing organisation Latvian National Front Aivars Garda and the organisations members Liga Muzikante and Ilze Liepa who also publish the national radical newspaper DDD. As reported, the persons have been charged with incitement to ethnic hatred for statements in several articles published in DDD in 2004 and 2005. Chas, Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

Latvijas Avize features an interview with the Head of the Security Police Janis Reiniks. Mr. Reiniks has stated that eight criminal cases on incitement to ethnic or racial hatred have been initiated during first four months of 2007. Janis Reiniks has also stated that Latvian police and army are a good example of integration since they involve representatives of various nationalities serving to the interests of the whole society.

• President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has returned the amendments to the Criminal Law to the Saeima for review
• State Language Centre has fined three taxi-drivers for insufficient usage of Latvian language
• Olaine Camp for illegal immigrants was granted funding in amount of LVL 833,400 (EUR 1,185,821)
• Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg has presented a memorandum on human rights in Latvia
• Afro-Latvian association celebrated Africa Day on 25 May

The President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has returned the amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishments for discrimination adopted by the Saeima for review. The President has stressed that the amendments do not include punishments for other grounds of discrimination, e.g. language, gender, and disability. The President also has noted that two different offences – instigation of national hatred and violation of the prohibition of equality, have been included in the same article of the Criminal Law.

The President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga has returned the amendments to the Criminal Law stipulating punishments for discrimination adopted by the Saeima for review. The President has stressed that the amendments do not include punishments for other grounds of discrimination, e.g. language, gender, and disability. The President also has noted that two different offences – instigation of national hatred and violation of the prohibition of equality, have been included in the same article of the Criminal Law. Diena

Inspectors of the State Language Centre have fined three taxi-drivers for insufficient usage of Latvian language at work. The inspectors have also revealed eight false certificates on state language proficiency level of taxi-drivers.

Inspectors of the State Language Centre have fined three taxi-drivers for insufficient usage of Latvian language at work. The inspectors have also revealed eight false certificates on state language proficiency level of taxi-drivers. Vesti Segodnya

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Olaine Camp for illegal immigrants was granted funding in amount of LVL 833,400 (EUR 1,185,821) for the improvement of its facilities in 2008-2010. In 2006, 158 persons were placed in the Olaine Camp.

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg has presented a memorandum on human rights in Latvia to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The memorandum points out that Latvia have not fulfilled the ex-Commissioner’s recommendations concerning the rights of minorities and non-citizens, in particular, speeding-up naturalisation of elderly people; ensuring the rights of children who were born in Latvia after August 1991; granting non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections; and usage of minority languages in official communication with authorities.

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg has presented a memorandum on human rights in Latvia to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The memorandum points out that Latvia have not fulfilled the ex-Commissioners recommendations concerning the rights of minorities and non-citizens, in particular, speeding-up naturalisation of elderly people; ensuring the rights of children who were born in Latvia after August 1991; granting non-citizens voting rights in municipal elections; and usage of minority languages in official communication with authorities. Chas

On 25 May, the Afro-Latvian association with a support of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration has celebrated Africa Day.

On 25 May, the Afro-Latvian association with a support of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration has celebrated Africa Day.