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.

• Latvijas Avize discusses the results of the study ‘Ethnopolitical Tensions in Latvia: Looking for the Conflict Solution
• Discussion on allegedly racially motivated incidents in Riga

Latvijas Avize discusses the results of the study ‘Ethnopolitical Tensions in Latvia: Looking for the Conflict Solution by the Baltic Institute of Social Sciences. According to the study, the main source of conflict is lack of consensus between the ethnic majority and minorities on ethnic policies implemented by the state. The authors of the study also conclude that, according to the conflict dynamics, Latvia is at the second stage, i.e., the ‘competition stage, which is typified by increasing competitiveness in relations between the ethnic groups. Political analyst Zanete Ozolina and ethnologist Ilmars Mezs, interviewed by the newspaper, regard as unacceptable the usage of the term ‘conflict in describing the current ethnic situation in Latvia. According to the experts, one can only speak about disagreements between ethnic groups or tensions among several political groups, but not about the conflict situation in society.

Public policy portal

Public policy portal www.politika.lv discusses the allegedly racially motivated incidents and the unwillingness of the police to open criminal cases. The expert in criminal law Andrejs Judins points to the two main factors influencing police decisions. The first problem is the need to prove that the person acted with a clear motivation to incite national or racial hatred. Judins points to the need to broadly evaluate the circumstances of the case, because according to the Article 78 of the Criminal Law the person can be charged with incitement of national or racial hatred also in the case when s/he explicitly denies the intention to incite national or racial hatred. According to the expert, it is also frequent, that the scope of the criminal offence is evaluated narrowly by the police because of the prevailing opinion that the above article of the Criminal Law is only applicable in cases when considerable injuries have been caused to the victim.