Latvian conference to examine human rights from NGO perspective

A conference in Latvia will examine current human rights issues from the perspective of non-governmental organisations, with a focus on civil and political rights, LSM reports. Organised by the Latvian Centre for Human Rights, it is taking place on Thursday, October 22.

Experts from human rights organisations in Estonia and Poland will also discuss issues in their countries. One of the conference topics is hate speech online and the responsibilities digital platforms have under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which took effect in 2024 and covers the restriction of illegal content, including hate speech.

The Latvian Centre for Human Rights will present findings from its monitoring of hate speech in Latvia in 2025 and the first half of 2026. The conference will also consider European Court of Human Rights case law on politicians’ statements and the situation in Lithuania, in light of the issue’s relevance during the pre-election period.

Participants will hear about the experience of Croatia’s Gender Equality Ombudsperson in responding to political narratives directed against particular minority groups. The conference is part of a project to strengthen human rights culture in Latvia, financially supported by the Society Integration Foundation from the state budget.