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.

• Ombudsman’s Office acknowledged the discrimination of Hosam Abu Meri by the employees of the Riga airport

• Executive director of the Centre for East European Policy Studies Andis Kudors proposes to limit broadcasts of Russian TV channels in Latvia

The Ombudsman’s Office acknowledged the discrimination of a well known Latvian doctor of Lebanon origin Hosam Abu Meri by the employees of the Riga airport. Couple of months ago, Mr Abu Meri appealed to the Ombudsman’s Office complaining he was discriminated by airport employees at the registration desk; according to  Mr Abu Meri the employees exchanged a phrase “there is an aggressive dark skinned passenger” and refused him boarding. Later, the airport security service allowed the boarding to Mr Abu Meri. The airport’s service provider responsible for registration of passengers could not prove the equal attitude towards all the passengers and that behaviour of Mr Abu Meri was aggressive.  In an interview with Diena, Mr Abu Meri stated that this case is principal and it is planned to turn to the court. Diena

Executive director and researcher of the Centre for East European Policy Studies Andis Kudors believes that the influence of Russia’s TV channels on Latvian informative space is too big. Therefore, Mr Kudors proposed to diversify the informative space by including more products made in the EU and to limit retranslation of some Russian TV channels in Latvia.