A/HRC/7/19/Add.3 page 10 The Law on Citizenship approved in 1994 set out specific conditions for the acquisition of Latvian citizenship, directly affecting the status of the non-citizen populace. Strict rules for naturalization were put in place at that time, which included requirements regarding command of the Latvian language and knowledge of the Constitution and the history of the country. An “age windows system” was also created, which only allowed individuals from certain age groups to apply for citizenship at a certain time (e.g. in 1996, only persons between the ages of 16 and 20 were allowed to apply). 31. In 1998, Latvia liberalized its citizenship laws, eliminating the window system and granting citizenship to children born in the country after 1991 upon registration by the parents. These changes quickly increased the number of naturalizations granted, which almost tripled between 1998 and 1999.2 32. A second piece of legislation - the Law on the Status of those Former USSR Citizens who do not Possess Citizenship of Latvia or Citizenship of any Other Country, approved in 1995 regulated the rights of those former USSR citizens who, after the restoration of independence, were left without citizenship of Latvia or any other State. These persons were granted the formal status of non-citizens. In particular, it establishes that “a non-citizen has those rights and obligations set forth by the Constitution …” including the right to “maintain his/her native language and culture within the limits of cultural-national autonomy and traditions if such do not contravene the laws of the Republic of Latvia”.3 Non-citizens are also issued with a special passport that allows for international travel. However, non-citizens do not have the right to vote or be elected for office in national or municipal elections, nor to work as civil servants. There are also limitations concerning the right to property and land ownership as well as private sector jobs linked to the judiciary.4 33. At present, there are around 372,000 non-citizens in Latvia, 66 per cent of whom are of Russian origin, 13.4 per cent of Belorussian origin, 9.5 per cent of Ukrainian origin. Other groups of non-citizens are Poles (3.4 per cent), Lithuanians (2.8 per cent) and Jews (0.9 per cent). The majority of non-citizens reside in Riga, although sizeable communities also exist in Daugavpils and Liepāja. 4. Language legislation 34. The Official Language Law approved in 1999 defines the status of languages spoken in Latvian territory. The Law aims to ensure “the maintenance, protection and development of the Latvian language” and “of the cultural and historic heritage of the Latvian nation”. Although the 2 Naturalization Board of the Republic of Latvia, available at http://www.np.gov.lv/en/faili_en/ stat_angl.xls. 3 4 Art. 2. Nils Muižnieks, Latvian-Russian Relations: Domestic and International Dimensions (Riga, University of Latvia), p. 16.