Our events

We are aware of the situation of Prof. Alexander Gaponenko. He is behind bars. In custody for several months. What is shocking is the fact that, as far as we know, there is no official accusation against him. The only info we could get from open sources is that it is a state secret. This, of course, cannot be accepted by human rights NGOs and in democratic countries.

Willy Fautré: “There are serious human rights violations in Latvia related to the discriminatory status of the Russian-speaking minority”

Our events

The Latvian capital witnessed the latest protest on this hot topic at the beginning of June. A march from the Latvian Riflemen Monument in the centre of the city’s old town to the seat of government numbered over four thousand as drums punctuated the battle cry of “hands off Russian schools!”.

Children go native as Latvian schools say 'Nē' to Russian

Party

Vote in the upcoming European elections, make your voice heard. Allow us to make your vote for all peoples of Europe and for Another Europe, be understood!

2019 Manifesto European Free Alliance

Opinions

I appeal to the working in my country - Latvia - ambassadors of the countries of the European Union, the United States, Canada and other states that share the values of open society and democracy.

Address to the Ambassadors: The West has to renounce the policy of Russophobia and double standards!

Our events

As residents of Estonia and Latvia, we would like to draw your attention to the discrepancies within electoral rights systems of these Member States. Latvia and Estonia host a large number of de facto stateless persons who are former citizens of the Soviet Union, and consequently their descendants, who do not possess the citizenship of the state that they live and do not possess citizenship of any other state. These persons are considered of "und...

Petition to the European Parliament on rights for non-citizens

Our events
Our MEP
Opinions
Party

Program of Latvian Russian Union for Saeima (Latvian Parliament) Elections of 2018

Latvian Russian Union is a party that advocates the interests of the Russian cultural-linguistic community of Latvia. Latvian Russian Union party is open to all people of good will, who are ready to fight and win in the struggle for the rights and dignity of every human being. The objective of Latvian Russian Union is to achieve legal equality and equal opportunities for all residents of the country regardless of their origin or their mother tongue.

A meeting of solidarity with Catalonian political prisoners took place in Riga

Voting is not a coup! Latvian Russian Union and Left Republicans of Catalonia both support the right of nations to self-determination, as members of the European Free Alliance. On November, 10, a picket of solidarity with the detained ministers and parlamentarians took place in Riga near the Spanish embassy. Photos by Dmitгy Zhilin

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Visit to Latvia by EFA MEPs, June 2016

On June 28-30, a European Free Alliance delegation has visited Latvia. MEPs Josep-Maria Terricabras, Tatjana Zdanoka and Jordi Sebastia held meetings in the port cities of Riga, Ventspils and Liepaja, related to the use of EU development funds, the linguistic rights of the Russian minority and the protection of the maritime ecosystem. A press conference in Riga concentrated upon impact of ‎Brexit‬ and the Spanish elections.

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Sergey Lavrov’s greeting to the organisers and participations of the Ninth European Russian Forum

I offer my warmest greetings to the organisers and participations of the Ninth European Russian Forum. Over the past few years, your meetings have become a respected platform for discussing a wide range of issues on the European agenda. In the current tense situation, your efforts are especially important for maintaining trust and mutual understanding on our large continent.

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Syrian Peace Process Support Group press conference (VIDEO)

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Tatjana Ždanoka

Born in Riga in 1950, Tatjana Ždanoka studied mathematics at the University of Latvia, and the University of Montpellier. Tatjana holds a PhD from the University of Latvia where she was a lecturer in higher mathematics from 1972 - 1990. She has been involved in elected politics since the late 1980s as a member of Riga City Council and later the Supreme Council of Latvia. Following Latvia’s independence, Tatjana became a fervent campaigner for the rights of Russian speakers. She was a founder member of the Latvian Human Rights Committee set up in 1992 to combat discrimination against minorities, and later a leader of the political party Equal Rights which in 1998 went on to merge with others to form Par cilvēka tiesībām vienotā Latvijā (For Human Rights in a United Latvia). First elected to the European Parliament in 2004, Tatjana was re-elected in 2009 and 2014 and is known in the European Parliament for her work on human rights and social affairs.

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EP: Make Labour Market Favourable for Work-Life Balance

The European Parliament voted on September, 13, to back Ždanoka & Blinkevičiūtė report on Creating Labour Market Conditions Favourable for Work-Life Balance.

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Basque peace process - Otegi visit to European Parliament

At the invitation of the European Parliament's Basque Friendship Group, well-known Basque independentist figure Arnalo Otegi is visiting Brussels to push for greater support for the Basque peace process. MEPs have called for the Spanish government to enter into dialogue in the search for a lasting peace, with EU support if necessary.

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Otegi - Spanish government must change course in search of peace

Responding to the release from prison of Basque political figure Arnaldo Otegi, and the implications for building a lasting peace in the Basque Country, politicians from the European Free Alliance have called on the Spanish government to revise its approach to Basque political prisoners. They have also repeated calls for European Union involvement in the Basque peace process, following an important role for the EU in the north of Ireland.

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Hearing: Ruslan Kotsaba – Ukrainian prisoner of conscience (January 2016)

A hearing to consider the case of imprisoned Ukrainian journalist and blogger Ruslan Kotsaba took place in the European Parliament on Tuesday 26 January 2016, from 14:00 to 15:30 in room ASP 5E1, organised by Latvian MEP Tatjana Ždanoka. The Ukrainian journalist, blogger and Maidan activist Ruslan Kotsaba is being prosecuted for "Betrayal of the Motherland" because of his reports on the conflict in the Donbass area.

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A call to defend freedom of expression in Latvia

MEP Tatjana Zdanoka has sent a letter to international human rights organisations. It calls to object against the upcoming amendments to the criminal code of Latvia. The draft amendments restrict the freedom of expression and intimidate opposition by prohibiting vague offences "actions against security interests"

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Urgent Call for a Peaceful Resolution to the Humanitarian Situation in Sur District of Diyarbakir

Letter to the Turkish Government. The historical district of Sur in Diyarbakir has been under curfew since December 11 last year. The infrastructure has been largely destroyed by shelling. An estimated 200 people are still trapped in the basements, including 15 children under 10 years of age and an unknown number of wounded people. Civilians cannot leave their homes due to the continuous shelling and dead bodies are lying on the streets. The Turkish authorities acknowledge the presence of 131 civilians and 25 PKK militants. We appeal to the Turkish authorities to enable a humanitarian solution to the crisis in all urgency and to create the circumstances that would allow sparing the lives of the civilians, especially the children.

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Hearing: Ruslan Kotsaba – Ukrainian prisoner of conscience (January 2016)

A hearing to consider the case of imprisoned Ukrainian journalist and blogger Ruslan Kotsaba takes place in the European Parliament on Tuesday 26 January 2016, from 14:00 to 15:30 in room ASP 5E1, organised by Latvian MEP Tatjana Ždanoka. The Ukrainian journalist, blogger and Maidan activist Ruslan Kotsaba is being prosecuted for "Betrayal of the Motherland" because of his reports on the conflict in the Donbass area.

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"Lies and Double Standards" on Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

EFA MEP Tatjana Ždanoka from Latvia has criticised the 'lies and double standards' applied to the EU's relations with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Ms Ždanoka was speaking during a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the progress of the three countries towards the EU, following the signing of EU association and free trade deals.

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Alexander Filey: Save Russian education in Latvia (VIDEO)

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DIFFERENT EXITS - DIFFERENT APPROACHES

The negotiations on Brexit are attracting a lot of attention. In particular, the possible erosion of the rights of around three million EU-27 citizens living in Britain is a major cause for concern. The European Parliament resolution adopted on 3 October states that “the withdrawal agreement must incorporate the full set of rights citizens currently enjoy, such that there is no material change in their position”

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Daugavpils Branch of Latvia's Russian Community letter regarding the BBC provocation

The pseudo-documentary “World War Three: Inside the War Room” was created by your corporation and aired on February 3 and 4 this year. This programme investigated a hypothetical beginning of the World War Three. According to the BBC film, the residents of our city, Daugavpils, are the most real threat for peace in the world. Because you have failed to get any evidence in the life of our country to support this fantasy, you have hired actors who played us as you prefer to perceive us – as uncivilized, cruel, violent and aggressive

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Opinion on the compatibility of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) withthe European Convention on Human Rights & the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

An opinion by Douwe Korff, Professor of International law, London Metropolitan University, London (UK) & Ian Brown, Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford (UK), prepared at the request of Greens/EFA group

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Opinion on the compatibility of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) withthe European Convention on Human Rights & the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

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Latvian Non-Citizens - Who are they?

The Foreword to the Book "Citizens of a Non-Existent State. The long-term Phenomenon of Mass Statelessness in Latvia"

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Zdanoka disappointed with MEPs lack of ambition on minority rights

"This has had all the hallmarks of a bad detective novel" - Zdanoka

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Summary of the article “Citizenship Law Should Be Stricter” published in the newspaper Latvijas Avīze on September 12th, 2005

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EU membership is the best way to avoid criticism for HR violations

I could imagine what could be a reaction of the EU institutions if a state like Belarus or Iraq would have half a million persons deprived of citizenship and, consequently, of full scope of the citizens rights.

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Zdanoka disappointed with MEPs lack of ambition on minority rights

Latvian Euro-MP Tatjana Zdanoka has expressed her disappointment with MEPs failure to back parliamentary amendments strengthening the rights of the so-called 'non-nationals' living in the European Union

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The Latvian Russian Union (Latvijas Krievu savienība) was established in January 2014

having evolved out of the former party For Human Rights in a United Latvia. It is a left wing political party which campaigns for equal rights for all residents of Latvia regardless of ethnic origin or linguistic background. It has been particularly active in defending the rights of Latvia’s ‘non-citizens’ - the almost 800,000 permanent residents of Latvia who were not granted citizenship after independence. The party has also been prominent in opposing cuts in Russian language education in a country where Russian is the mother tongue of almost 40% of the population.

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For Human Rights in a United Latvia Party’s Program for the Elections of European Parliament, 2009

Human rights and social security for every resident of Latvia! Fair aid in overcoming the crisis for each EU country! The right to use native language and to receive education in mother tongue for every nation in Europe!

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For Human Rights in a United Latvia party’s program for the elections of the 11th Saeima

The extraordinary elections of 2012 give the chance to elect a parliament that will be really able to justify the confidence of the electorate. We must restore the FHRUL parliamentary group in the new Saeima as a bastion of uncompromising opposition to the regime of nationalists and oligarchs

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ForHRUL list of candidates for the European elections of 2004

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ForHRUL list of candidates for the European elections of 2009

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Board of FHRUL (elected 2011-6-11)

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Political program of Political Party "FHRUL – For Human Rights in a United Latvia"

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List of actions of support of mother-tongue education initiated by member organizations and individual members of Russian School Defense Staff

The list includes 94 street actions, during 33 of which some of the participants got detained by the police and/or administrative cases were brought. The list includes 33 actions with more than 1000 participants and 11 several-day actions

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