Covering events from January - December 2002

REPUBLIC OF LATVIA
Head of state: Vaira Vike-Freiberga
Head of government: Einars Repše (replaced Andris Berzins in November)
Death penalty: abolitionist for ordinary crimes
International Criminal Court: ratified
Legislation to introduce a civilian alternative to military service was passed by the Latvian parliament. Conditions in prisons generally did not meet international minimum standards. Latvia took a step towards abolishing the death penalty in all circumstances


Conscientious objection

On 30 May the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, passed a law to introduce a civilian alternative to military service. A draft Law on Alternative Service prepared by a special working group in the period 2000-2001 had been adopted by the government in mid-2001 and sent to the Saeima for consideration in early February 2002. The law, which came into effect on 1 July, remained – as was previously feared – punitive in length, forcing conscientious objectors to military service to undertake an alternative service of two years in length, which is twice as long as military service. Conscientious objectors with graduate qualifications will serve 18 months.

Prison conditions

In late September the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) visited Latvia for the second time, inspecting various places of detention throughout the country. The November 2001 report of the CPT's initial visit to Latvia in February 1999, which primarily focused on police detention facilities and prisons in the capital, Riga, found that conditions were often unacceptable, on occasion amounting to inhuman and degrading treatment. The CPT's findings were underscored by the European Commission's 2002 report on Latvia's progress towards accession to the European Union, published in October. The report, while acknowledging certain measures undertaken by the authorities to improve prison conditions, stated that "the situation in prisons continues to be reported as critical in terms of health and sanitary conditions, overcrowding and occupational measures". The length of pre-trial detention, particularly of juveniles, also remained a serious concern, contributing to delays in the administration of justice and overcrowding.

Death penalty

On 3 May Latvia took the first step to abolishing the death penalty in all circumstances, including in times of war, by signing Protocol No. 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

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