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.

• President of the PA of the OSCE Alcee L. Hastings visits Latvia
• Diena criticises tolerance of state institutions towards manifestations of extreme views
• State Security Police refuse to initiate a criminal case against Nikolajs Kabanovs, journalist and MP

Telegraf reports on the visit of the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE Alcee L. Hastings to Latvia. Although ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities was not included in the Hastings agenda with Latvian state officials, in the response to Telegrafs question the PA president stated that Latvia should have ratified the Convention without any reservations. At the same time the PA president believes that Latvia shows progress in the area of ethnic integration.

Dienas columnist Aivars Ozolins sharply criticises ‘tolerance of state institutions towards expressions of extreme views and outspoken calls to violence against minorities. According to the columnist, politicians must change their attitude to prevent formation of society divided by hatred and intolerance.

The State Security Police have refused to initiate a criminal case against Nikolajs Kabanovs, journalist and MP. The chair of the Union of the Latvian National Partisans Ojars Stefans applied the police asking to evaluate Nikolajs Kabanov’s articles, where he called Latvian national partisans bandits, murderers and terrorists.  According to Ojars Stefans’ application such articles incite to ethnic hatred. The State Security Police, however, concluded that these statements may be qualified as defamation of national partisans and not incitement to ethnic hatred.

The State Security Police have refused to initiate a criminal case against Nikolajs Kabanovs, journalist and MP. The chair of the Union of the Latvian National Partisans Ojars Stefans applied the police asking to evaluate Nikolajs Kabanovs articles, where he called Latvian national partisans bandits, murderers and terrorists. According to Ojars Stefans application such articles incite to ethnic hatred. The State Security Police, however, concluded that these statements may be qualified as defamation of national partisans and not incitement to ethnic hatred. Latvijas Avize