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.

• Newspapers report about the Annual Report 2012 of the Security Police
• Radical nationalists discuss demolition of the Monument to Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders

Newspapers report about the Annual Report 2012 of the Security Police (SP). The SP highlights influence of Russian policy aimed at work with Russian speaking residents as it sometimes contradicts Latvian national and security interests. According to the Report, Russia began to pay more attention to work with young people strengthening ties between students from both countries and different organisations. The SP believes that such activities are aimed at educating in young people values and views alien to Latvian ideology and formation of Russian speaking residents loyal towards Russia. The Report also highlights growth of the number of cases on incitement to ethnic hatred on the Internet. According to the SP, the most often incitement to hatred is addressed to ethnic Russians or ethnic Latvians in online discussions on internet news portals regarding such sensitive issues as citizenship, naturalisation, language, history, WWII, ethnic minority rights etc. The SP considers that aggression of the Internet users is used by certain organisations, movements, mass media who are interested in supporting ideological contradictions and ethnic tensions. According to the assessment of the SP, the threat of terrorism in Latvia is low at the moment, as well as in the foreseeable future. At the same time, the SP draws attention to a visit of the representatives of a controversial Muslim organisation “Tabligh Jamaat” to Latvia and points out that their future visits might provoke radicalisation and intolerance in the society.  Vesti Segodnya, Latvijas Avize

 

Vesti Segodnya reports about a discussion organised by the radical nationalists’ party “All for Latvia!-FF/LNIM” about the demolition of the Monument to Liberators of Riga from Nazi Invaders. The nationalists believe that the Monument should be demolished and the cleared square should become an entertainment park. At the same time, the nationalists admit that they do not have possibility to demolish the Monument legally, therefore, it is important to prepare the society for such action. And as the first step, the nationalists propose to create an exhibition near the Monument telling about communists’ crimes and repressions.