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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 14:42

Amnesty International notes 3 problematic issues in its annual report on Latvia

BC, Riga, 24.02.2016.Print version
Amnesty International, the international organization for human rights, in its annual report on Latvia has noted only three problematic issues, namely, legislative amendments on morality education at school, protection of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (LGBTI) and the situation of stateless persons, refugees and asylum seekers, informs LETA/BNS.

The report says that in June 2015 the Latvian parliament passed amendments to the Education Law requiring schools to provide “morality” education based on constitutional values, which include a definition of marriage as the union between a man and a woman. The new legislation risks placing Latvia in breach of its international obligations to respect freedom of expression and the requirement of non-discrimination with regard to LGBTI people’s relationships and families, Amnesty International said, noting also concern that it would restrict children’s access to sex and sexuality education with potentially negative impacts on their right to health.

 

The report also remarked on the lack of express protection in criminal law against incitement to hatred and violence on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. In the first nine months of 2015, Latvian NGO Mozaika recorded 14 attacks against LGBTI people. None resulted in serious injuries. Victims told Mozaika they did not report the attacks to the police for fear that they would not be taken seriously.

 

At the same time, the Latvian police had offered effective protection to participants of EuroPride, an international gathering in support of LGBTI people’s rights, which took place in the Latvian capital Riga in June last year without major incidents. About 5,000 people participated, including three Latvian MPs. The authorities allowed the parade to pass through the main street of Riga and to cover 2.2 kilometers, a route four times longer than in the past, Amnesty International said.

 

The report stressed that Latvia still had a high number of stateless people – over 262,000 at the beginning of 2015, according to figures of UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.

 

According to the report, the number of asylum applications in Latvia remained low, with about 200 received in the first eight months of 2015. Recognition rates also remained very low. However, in September Latvia agreed to relocate 531 asylum-seekers from other European countries. Concerns remain about the excessive use of detention for asylum-seekers and the non-suspensive effect of appeals against negative decisions under the accelerated asylum procedure. The latter increases the risk of individuals being returned to countries where they could face serious human rights abuses, Amnesty International said.






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