CCPR/C/LVA/CO/3 applied, if at all, in exceptional cases as a measure of last resort, where absolutely necessary for the benefit of the person concerned, provided that he or she is unable to give consent, for the shortest possible time, without any long-term impact and under independent review; (c) Promote psychiatric care aimed at preserving the dignity of patients, both adults and minors; (d) Offer adequate community-based or alternative social care services for persons with psychosocial and mental disabilities to provide less restrictive alternatives to forcible confinement; (e) Devise a programme of adequate activities and ensure sufficient accommodation space for persons in social care centres; (f) Ensure an effective and independent monitoring and reporting system for mental and social care institutions, aimed at effectively investigating and sanctioning abuses and providing compensation to victims and their families. The right to a fair trial 17. The Committee is concerned at reported delays in the completion of criminal trials involving detention on remand while awaiting final judgements, the practice of which is inconsistent with the right to a fair trial (art. 14). The State party should take appropriate measures to observe safeguards of the right to a fair trial effectively, including a timely delivery of judgements. Freedom of expression 18. The Committee is concerned that the investigation of a physical attack against the journalist Leonids Jakobsons has been pending since March 2012 (art. 19). The State party should guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of the press, as enshrined in article 19 of the Covenant and interpreted in the Committee’s general comment No. 34 (2011) on article 19: freedoms of opinion and expression, including by effectively investigating attacks against journalists. Protection against hate crimes 19. The Committee is concerned at reports of racist speech, acts of violence and discrimination against vulnerable groups, including Roma and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, and at a reported increase in incidents of violence against minorities in recent years. The Committee is also concerned at the inadequate application of the legislative framework against hate crime with respect to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. The Committee is furthermore concerned at allegations of insufficient hate crime recording, monitoring, investigation and prosecution (arts. 20 and 26). The State party should (a) Strengthen its strategies to fight against racially motivated crimes and counter the use of racist discourse in politics and in the media; (b) Implement criminal law provisions aimed at combating racially motivated crimes, punish perpetrators with appropriate penalties and facilitate the reporting procedure for hate crimes; (c) Define incitement to violence on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity as a criminal offence. 7