Integration and Minority Information Service: newsletter of 6 March 2009

Today news:

 Concord Centre is planning to contest in the Constitutional Court several provisions stipulating penalties for insufficient usage of the state language

Yesterday, the Saeima approved in the second reading draft amendments to the Criminal Law on criminal liability for the justification of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. The draft amendments criminalise public glorification, denial and justification of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, and foresee a prison sentence of up to five years or community service. As reported, draft amendments initially prepared by the Ministry of Justice foresaw criminal liability for the public glorification or justification of regimes that have committed genocide or a person convicted of genocide or denial of genocide, thus attempting to include also the crimes committed by the Stalinist regime. The current amendments are now in line with the recently adopted Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia. Vesti Segodnya

The Concord Centre (CC) is planning to contest in the Constitutional Court several provisions of the Administrative Offences Code which stipulate punishment for insufficient usage of state (Latvian) language as required for the fulfilment of professional dutiesand the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the procedure of language proficiency inspections. The CC considers that some of the provisions are in contradiction with the Constitution of Latvia. Telegraf

For further information:

Latvian Centre for Human Rights