Фев 12 2010

• Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris: publication of personal data of persons who decorated their cars with Russian symbols on the Internet is aimed at incitement to ethnic hatred
• Vesti Segodnya prints opinion of representatives of Russian NGOs in Latvia about tendency to decorate cars with Russian symbols in Latvia
• Member of the political party New Era Dans Titavs: Russian speaking residents should be attracted to the government

Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris in an interview with

Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris in an interview with Telegraf states that publication of personal data of persons who decorated their cars with Russian symbols on the Internet is aimed at incitement to ethnic hatred. Mrs. Brands Kehris considers that it is difficult to determine whether the publication represents an incitement to ethnic hatred in the legal sense, despite the fact that the meaning of the term occupant is evident in this particular case and that it is clear that the publication is aimed to discriminate individuals included into the list of occupants and incite ethnic hatred. In the meantime, the Chair of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance Nils Muiznieks believes that publication of the list is not incitement to ethnic hatred because it does not call for discrimination or violence.

Vesti Segodnya prints opinion of representatives of Russian NGOs in Latvia about tendency to decorate cars with Russian symbols in Latvia. Majority of interviewed persons does not support such manifestation and believes that it is a way of protest of ethnic Russian residents against policy of Latvian politicians which alienated them from Latvian state. Other representatives do not see anything wrong in this kind of manifestation believing that in such way people show their sympathy towards Russia.

Member of the political party New Era Dans Titavs  (ex-adviser of ex-Prime Minister Einars Repse) stated that Russian speaking residents should be attracted to the government and confrontation between ethnic Latvians and Russians should be ended. According to Mr. Titavs, ethnic Latvian parties are afraid to address to Russian speaking because it might scare away a part of ethnic Latvian electorate.

Member of the political party New Era Dans Titavs (ex-adviser of ex-Prime Minister Einars Repse) stated that Russian speaking residents should be attracted to the government and confrontation between ethnic Latvians and Russians should be ended. According to Mr. Titavs, ethnic Latvian parties are afraid to address to Russian speaking because it might scare away a part of ethnic Latvian electorate. Chas