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Commission Report (2002): Latvia   
1.2. Human rights and the protection of minoritiesLatvia continues to respect human rights and freedoms. This was the conclusion of the 1997 Opinion and the subsequent Regular Reports, and has been confirmed by developments over the past year. This section focuses on the most significant developments since the last Regular Report.Latvia has acceded to most of the major international human rights instruments. The Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has, however, not yet been ratified. In April 2002, Latvia signed Protocol No 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances. In January 2002, Latvia ratified the European Social Charter. Latvia has signed but not ratified the Additional Protocol No 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights prohibiting discrimination on any grounds. No significant new developments regarding the transposition and implementation of the anti-discrimination acquis can be reported (see Chapter 13 -- Social policy and employment). On 31 December 2001, the OSCE mission to Latvia was closed, following the Chairman-in-Office's statement that its tasks under the missions` guidelines concerning citizenship, language (in particular, language provisions in the election law), education, the integration programme and the ombudsman institution had been completed, were being completed or could be achieved by other more appropriate instruments. The institutional set-up of the National Human Rights Office (NHRO) remains largely unchanged. The working group established in 2001 with the aim of studying different options, including the Office's conversion to an ombudsman institution with a broader mandate, has provided recommendations, which have been partly implemented. Some improvements of the institutional structure took place, but duplication of tasks between state human rights bodies seems to persist, especially between the NHRO and the State Children's Rights Protection Centre. © European Commission |
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