UN experts have criticized the decision of the Latvian government to make Latvian the only language used in schools, saying it could amount to discrimination against minorities in a country where about a quarter of the population is Russian-speaking.
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Latvian draft law on complete transfer of the education system to Latvian language is a discrimination against Russian speaking minorities. Experts of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have stated this.
“Recent legislative changes in Latvia restricting education in minority languages contradict human rights standards and may constitute discrimination,” the organization said in a statement on its website.
The UN clarified that despite calls to withdraw the bill until relevant complaints before the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Committee have been considered, the bill was passed by the Latvian parliament without significant changes.
“The Latvian authorities should clarify the severe restrictions on minority language education up to its de facto elimination, as well as initiate a consultation process with the minority communities concerned,” the UN experts added.
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