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 interviews the Ombudsman Juris Jansons
• Saeima’s Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee proposes to add the notion of hate speech in the Criminal Code
• Ambassador of Russian Federation to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov comments Russia’s plans to open Russian schools abroad
• Vesti Segodnya reports about a round table of the leaders of Russian NGOs in Latvia

Latvijas Avize interviews the Ombudsman Juris Jansons. The Ombudsman does not agree with the idea that integration in Latvia should become mutual process and that also ethnic Latvians should integrate. The Ombudsman believes that such approach does not correspond to historical situation in Latvia. Mr Jansons criticizes the director of the Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Science who asserted that bilingual education is a story of success for Latvia and criticized the monitoring of education in ethnic minority schools conducted by the Ombudsman’s Office. Mr Jansons says that after such announcements there is nothing to talk about with the Ministry. The Ombudsman also criticizes politicians and NGOs, including the Latvian Centre for Human Rights, which have criticized the Ombudsman for his statements regarding the bilingual education and proposal to transfer secondary education in ethnic minority schools into Latvian language only.

Vesti Segodnya reports that the Saeima’s Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee proposes to add the notion of hate speech in the Article 78 of the Criminal Code in order to limit misleading information and distribution of hateful ideology towards Latvia. Presently, the Article 78 stipulates liability for incitement of ethnic and racial hatred. The newspaper notes that the reason why the MPs discussed such proposal is a program broadcasted on the First Baltic Channel (which mostly rebroadcasts programs of the Russia’s First Channel) in October 2013. The program was about events in Vilnius (Lithuania) on 13 January 1991 and its authors claimed that the people who got killed during the surrounding of the Vilnius TV tower were killed not by the soviet militaries but by provokers from the protestors’ side. Such program caused scandal in Lithuania and in Latvia where the Channel is registered. The National Electronic Mass Media Council fined the First Baltic Channel for biased program and ask the General Prosecutor’s Office asking to evaluate whether there was hate speech in the program. However, the General Prosecutor’s Office following the conclusion of the Security did not find incitement of ethnic hatred in it.

Vesti Segodnya prints an interview with the Ambassador of Russian Federation to Latvia Aleksandr Veshnyakov. Commenting a recent statement by the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov about Russia’s plans to open Russian schools abroad, the Ambassador said that the program of Russian schools abroad is not finalised and adopted yet. But regarding Latvian situation, the Ambassador believes that it is possible to speak about opening of Sunday schools or additional education, for instance establishing such school at the embassy. Mr Veshnyakov stresses that such system is practised by many countries.

Vesti Segodnya reports about a round table of the leaders of Russian NGOs in Latvia. The participants discussed various activities organised by NGOs and problems those face. One of the problems highlighted by many participants was lack of support from state and prejudiced attitude towards Russian NGOs by state institutions.