Increased use of Latvian in education does not infringe ethnic Russians' rights, rules European court

In the case of Djeri and Others v. Latvia the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been no violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) taken together with Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 (right to education) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Documents Judgment Djeri and Others v. Latvia - Increased use of Latvian in pre-schools following 2018 education reform did not discrimina Download 160.93 KB

The case concerned 2018 amendments to the law whereby the use of Latvian was increased in all pre-schools in Latvia, both public or private, and the use of Russian was consequently reduced. The applicants were Latvian nationals or “permanently resident non-citizens” who identify as part of the Russian-speaking minority in Latvia, and live in Riga and Jūrmala (Latvia). They objected to the educational reforms and claimed their human rights were infringed. However, their claim has now been roundly rejected.

"The Court found in particular that the measures taken by the Latvian Government to increase the use of the national language in pre-schools had been proportionate and necessary to prepare pupils for primary education, to ensure unity in the education system and to ensure a sufficient level of Latvian for residents to participate effectively in public life," said a release from the ECHR [full release attached to this story].

Latvia has "maintained Russian-speaking pupils’ ability to learn their language and preserve their culture and identity at the second stage of pre-school education. The Court concluded that the State had put in place an education system in the official language of the State, while also ensuring the use of minority languages at the second stage of pre-school education," said the ECHR.