Overview of Human Rights in Latvia

Latvia is a parliamentary democracy. The government generally respects the civil and human rights of its citizens; however, problems persist. Members of the police and security forces have used excessive force against suspects and detainees. Still, the government has taken measures to discipline those found guilty of such actions. Prison conditions are harsh and overcrowding is a serious issue. Lengthy pretrial detention is also a problem. The judiciary is known to be corrupt, inefficient and lacking the means to ensure justice. Racially-motivated violence and discrimination against homosexuals are also areas of concern.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

45th out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.