Latvia

Latvia is a parliamentary republic, and member of the European Union, with close likes to Estonia and Lithuania.  It has a substantial Russian-speaking population. It has a population of 1.9 million, 31% of whom are unaffiliated with any religious group. The largest religious group, estimated to account for 37% of the population, are Lutheran.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/latvia/[/ref]

Constitution and government Education and children’s rights Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values
Systemic religious privilege results in significant social discrimination
There is systematic religious privilege
State-funding of religious institutions or salaries, or discriminatory tax exemptions
Official symbolic deference to religion
State-funded schools provide religious education which may be nominally comprehensive but is substantively biased or borderline confessional
Some concerns about political or media freedoms, not specific to the non-religious
No religious tribunals of concern, secular groups operate freely, individuals are not persecuted by the state
Constitution and government
There is systematic religious privilege
State-funding of religious institutions or salaries, or discriminatory tax exemptions
Official symbolic deference to religion
Education and children’s rights
State-funded schools provide religious education which may be nominally comprehensive but is substantively biased or borderline confessional
Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals
Systemic religious privilege results in significant social discrimination
No religious tribunals of concern, secular groups operate freely, individuals are not persecuted by the state
Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values
Some concerns about political or media freedoms, not specific to the non-religious
Use of Conscientious Objection clauses resulting in the denial of lawful services to women and LGBTI+ people
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in all or most state-funded schools with no secular or humanist alternative
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

Countries: Kazakhstan

The state is secular, with separation of religious and political authorities, not discriminating against any religion or belief
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
No fundamental restrictions on freedom of expression or advocacy of humanist values
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

No condition holds in this strand
No condition holds in this strand

Countries: Andorra

No condition holds in this strand
Religious courts or tribunals rule directly on some family or ‘moral’ matters; it is legally an opt-in system, but the possibility of social coercion is very clear
No condition holds in this strand

Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

Localised or infrequent but recurring and widespread social marginalisation or prejudice against the non-religious

This condition is unusual in that it is applied in cases where there is some social discrimination, but it is not pervasive or nationwide. This condition is applied when there is sufficient background evidence to warrant the assertion that discrimination is not anomalous but widespread, and this condition may be applied for example even where if there is no legislative discrimination or where the non-religious may have legal recourse against such discrimination. However, societal discrimination (i.e. discrimination by peers, as opposed to state or legal discrimination) is not easily measured, and for this reason the Report does not currently have similar more severe boundary conditions to capture higher levels of social discrimination per se. In principle these may be introduced in future. However, we consider that countries with actual higher levels of social discrimination against the non-religious will generally already meet other higher level (more severe) boundary conditions under this thematic strand.

Countries: Botswana, Greece, Serbia, United States of America

The dominant influence of religion in public life undermines the right to equality and/or non-discrimination

Applied when the influence of religion on public life undermines others’ rights, such as SRHR, women’s rights, LGBTI+ rights.

May be applied when the influence is overt (i.e. when religious laws are applied to undermine others’ rights) or covert (i.e. where religious pressure groups exert influence to affect policy)

Countries: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Croatia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Oman, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Zambia

The non-religious are persecuted socially or there are prohibitive social taboos against atheism, humanism or secularism
Complete tyranny precludes all freedoms of expression and thought, religion or belief

Applied when overriding acts of oppression by the State are extreme, to the extent that the question of freedom of thought and expression is almost redundant, because all human rights and freedoms are quashed by authorities.

Countries: North Korea

Expression of core Humanist principles on democracy, freedom and human rights is brutally repressed
Expression of non-religious views is severely persecuted, or is rendered almost impossible by severe social stigma, or is highly likely to be met with hatred or violence
There is significant social marginalisation of the non-religious or stigma associated with expressing atheism, humanism or secularism
Religious or ideological indoctrination is utterly pervasive in schools
There is a nominal state church with few privileges or progress is being made toward disestablishment

Countries: Bulgaria, Norway, Peru, Rwanda

The non-religious are barred from some government offices (including posts reserved for particular religions or sects)
‘Apostasy’ is outlawed and punishable with a prison sentence

Countries: Bahrain, Comoros, Jordan, Kuwait

‘Apostasy’ or conversion from a specific religion is outlawed and punishable by death
Some religious courts rule in civil or family matters on a coercive or discriminatory basis
Religious authorities have supreme authority over the state

Countries: Iran

State legislation is partly derived from religious law or by religious authorities
Preferential treatment is given to a religion or religion in general

This condition is applied where there are miscellaneous indicators that organs of the state offer various forms of support for a religion, or to religion in general over non-religious worldviews, suggesting a preference for those beliefs, or that the organs of that religion are privileged.

Countries: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

There is a pattern of impunity or collusion in violence by non-state actors against the nonreligious
State-funded schools provide religious education which may be nominally comprehensive but is substantively biased or borderline confessional
Religious or ideological instruction in a significant number of schools is of a coercive fundamentalist or extremist variety

This condition highlights countries where schools subject children to fundamentalist religious instruction with no real opportunity to question fundamentalist tenets, or where lessons routinely encourage hatred (for example religious or ethnic hatred). The wording “significant number of schools” is not given a rigid quantification (sometimes the worst-offending schools are unregistered, illegal, or otherwise uncounted); however the condition is not applied in cases where only a small number of schools meet the description and may be anomalous, as opposed to being indicative of a widespread problem.

Countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia

State legislation is largely or entirely derived from religious law or by religious authorities
Anomalous discrimination by local or provincial authorities, or overseas territories
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in at least some public schools (without secular or humanist alternatives)
‘Blasphemy’ or criticism of religion is outlawed and punishable by death
Government figures or state agencies openly marginalize, harass, or incite hatred or violence against the non-religious
Government authorities push a socially conservative, religiously or ideologically inspired agenda, without regard to the rights of those with progressive views
It is illegal to advocate secularism or church-state separation, or such advocacy is suppressed
Prohibitive interreligious social control (including interreligious marriage bans)
Quasi-divine veneration of a ruling elite is enforced, or a single-party regime holds uncontested power, subject to severe punishment
Legal or constitutional provisions exclude non-religious views from freedom of belief
It is illegal to register an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization, or such groups are persecuted by authorities
There is a religious tax or tithing which is compulsory, or which is state-administered and discriminates by precluding non-religious groups
The non-religious are barred from holding government office
Some concerns about children's right to specifically religious freedom

This condition may apply if specifically religious education, religious materials, or specific religious denominations are so tightly controlled that children are in fact over-protected from exposure to religion and are likely unable to explore or construct their own worldview in accordance with their evolving capacities. This condition helps us to classify states (perhaps with secular constitutions) which have criminalized specifically religious beliefs or practices. This condition is not applied if the restricted beliefs or practices are found to be outlawed due to their being of an extremist variety. While this condition does not directly reflect discrimination against non-religious persons or non-religious ideas, it does represent an overall threat to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief; such restrictions could spill over to affect non-religious beliefs later; and they pose a risk of backlash against over-zealous secular authorities or even against non-religious individuals by association.

Countries: China, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guyana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Madagascar, Mexico, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe

It is illegal or unrecognised to identify as an atheist or as non-religious
It is made difficult to register or operate an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization
Legend
 
Severe Discrimination
Systemic Discrimination
Mostly Satisfactory
Free and Equal
More information about rating table

Constitution and government

According to Article 99 of the 2014 Latvian Constitution,[ref]https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/57980[/ref]

“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The church shall be separate from the State.”

Although there is no state religion, the law provides eight religious groups with rights and privileges denied to other religious groups, and non-believers. The eight are Lutherans, Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Old Believers, Baptists, Methodists, Seventh-day Adventists, and Jews.[ref]https://likumi.lv/ta/id/184625-latvijas-evangeliski-luteriskas-baznicas-likums; https://likumi.lv/ta/id/184626-latvijas-pareizticigas-baznicas-likums; https://likumi.lv/ta/id/159066-latvijas-vecticibnieku-pomoras-baznicas-likums; https://likumi.lv/ta/id/159067-rigas-ebreju-religiskas-draudzes-likums; https://likumi.lv/ta/id/158622-septitas-dienas-adventistu-latvijas-draudzu-savienibas-likums; https://likumi.lv/ta/id/157893-latvijas-baptistu-draudzu-savienibas-likums; https://likumi.lv/ta/id/66742-par-latvijas-republikas-un-sveta-kresla-ligumu; https://likumi.lv/ta/id/158398-latvijas-apvienotas-metodistu-baznicas-likums[/ref]

These groups are a part of the government’s Ecclesiastical Council, which (chaired by the Prime Minister) advises the government on religious matters. There is no equivalent provision for non-religious people. These groups have the right to officiate at marriages without obtaining a civil marriage license.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/latvia/[/ref]

Religious privilege

Although the government does not require religious groups to register, the law accords registered religious groups several rights and privileges, including legal entity status for owning property and conducting financial transactions, as well as tax benefits for donors. Registration allows religious groups to hold services in public places such as parks or public squares.[ref]https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/36874[/ref] Non-religious groups cannot register or secure these benefits.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/latvia/[/ref]

Education and children’s rights

Public schools by default teach general ethics and religions in Latvia class in primary school.[ref]https://www.skola2030.lv/lv/biezak-uzdotie-jautajumi/vai-sakumskola-vairs-nav-etikas-un-kristigas-macibas?fbclid=IwAR1taAfx5cYgz32GnKmwKq9AqZiVQh8iyzEnyd_alPzUYkFVNaAmaHU67_A[/ref] However, students can opt-in to state- funded religion class specialized in one of the Christian denominations privileged by the state.[ref]https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/36874[/ref]

The Center for Educational Content at the Ministry of Education reviews the content of the classes to verify that they do not violate the right to freedom of conscience. After third grade, religion subjects are then taught within elective ethics and social science classes.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/latvia/[/ref]

According to Section 6 of the Law on Religious Organizations,[ref]https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/36874[/ref]

“The schools for national minorities under the management of the State and local governments, observing the wishes of students or the parents or guardians thereof may also provide religious teachings typical to the relevant national minority in accordance with the procedures specified by the Ministry for Education and Science.”

The Education Law[ref]https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/50759[/ref] was amended in 2015 to oblige schools to provide ‘moral’ education that mirrors constitutional values, especially regarding marriage and family (see Section 10). This means children would not be taught that LGBTI+ relationships and families are entitled to equal protection under the law.[ref]https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/06/23/dispatches-double-speak-latvia[/ref] A law that came into effect in January 2017 enabled the firing of teachers found to be “disloyal to the state.”[ref]https://www.refworld.org/category,COI,,,LVA,5bcdce2f13,0.html[/ref]

Family community and society

LGBTI+ rights

Same-sex relationships are legal. However, same-sex marriage in Latvia has been prohibited by Article 110 of the Constitution since 2006. LGBTI+ persons in Latvia face widespread discrimination, stigmatization and intolerance[ref]https://ilga.org/state-sponsored-homophobia-report; https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/latvia/[/ref] Most recently, in April 2021, a young paramedic reportedly died after being the victim of a homophobic arson attack.[ref]https://www.euronews.com/2021/04/30/gay-latvian-man-dies-after-homophobic-attack-campaigners-say[/ref] Critics have argued that the historical influence of the Christian churches, and their ongoing opposition to equality for same-sex couples, has contributed to the intolerance faced by members of the LGBTI+ community.[ref]https://www.tvnet.lv/7233153/par-slepkavibas-meginajumu-tukuma-atbildiba-jauznemas-latvijas-politikiem-un-baznicai; https://konservativie.lv/2020/11/19/arhibiskaps-janis-vanags-gimenes-jedziens-nav-bezformigs-ka-udens/; https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/stankevics-viendzimuma-attiecibas-nav-saskana-ar-dieva-planu.a103625/ [/ref]

Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values

The Constitution grants everyone the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to freely receive, keep and distribute information and to express his or her views (Article 100). Censorship is also prohibited under the Constitution.

Media freedom

The government generally respects freedom of the press. However, the US State Department indicates that NGOs have reported concerns relating to a lack of transparency in media ownership. Concerns over media independence are exacerbated by the challenges local media outlets face to compete with mass media, according to the Latvian Association of Journalists. Some municipalities provided funding to local newspapers in exchange for editorial control, or even published their own newspapers to drive independent competitors out of business.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/latvia/[/ref]

However, according to Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index 2020,[ref]https://rsf.org/en/latvia[/ref] the Latvian parliament has “passed a law banning regional and local municipal authorities from publishing news in the same way as the media, thereby satisfying long-standing demands by the media for an end to this form of unfair competition.”