Latvia
Articles and news
- Baltic Friendship Days 2009 (13/05/2009)
- Friendship Days/Riga Pride 2008 (04/06/2008)
- Friendship Days/Riga Pride 2007 (06/06/2007)
- Europe reacts on election of new chair for Latvian parliament's human rights committee (20/11/2006)
- Riga Pride 2006 (01/08/2006)
- President of Latvia does not sign amendment to Labour Law (21/06/2006)
- Latvian President signs homophobic constitutional amendment (21/12/2005)
- Members of European Parliament ask Latvian President not to sign constitutional amendment (20/12/2005)
Resources
- Homofobiskā runa Latvijā: Politiķu monitorings
- Homofobiskā runa Latvijā: Politiķu monitorings
- Homophobic Speech in Latvia: Monitoring the Politicians
- Decision of the Latvian Constitutional Court on freedom of assembly, 23 November 2006
- Latvians' Attitudes Towards Sexual Minorities: Dimensions and 'Temperature'
- Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
- Meeting the challenge of accession, April 2004
International human rights documents:
Latvia has signed but not yet ratified Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Latvia was a signatory to the 2007 UN Declaration on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
Criminal law:
Consenting same-sex sexual acts are legal.
The age of consent is equal for all sexual acts.
Anti-discrimination:
Discrimination on the basis on sexual orientation is prohibited in the area of employment.
Partnership recognition:
Marriage between the persons of the same sex is banned by Article 35.2 of the Civil Code. Additionally, in 2005 the Constitution of Latvia has been amended to specify that the marriage in Latvia is only possible between a man and a woman.
Parenting rights:
Latvia does not provide any legal recognition of same-sex partnerships.
Legislation on medically assisted insemination in Latvia is ambiguous and provides that medically assisted insemination is available ‘on request of heterosexual couple of a woman’. Therefore it appears single woman, including lesbian, can apply for medically assisted insemination.
Law on hate and violence:
Laws on hate and violence do not refer to sexual orientation or gender identity and do not recognise sexual orientation neither gender identity as aggravating factor.
Freedom of assembly:
Pride events were banned in 2005, 2006, and 2009.

