MOSCOW, February 10 (RAPSI) – The Standing Commission on International Cooperation in Human Rights of Russia’s Presidential Human Rights Council plans to draft a letter to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, which the body is to readdress to Latvian authorities and the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner over discrimination of Russian speakers in that country, Council member Alexander Brod informs RAPSI.

According to the civic activist, the Latvian authorities have halted broadcasts of 16 Russophone TV channels, what, he alleges, is to be seen as continuation of aggressive discrimination policies against Russian compatriots.

Brod believes that these polices are aimed to accelerate assimilation of Russian-speaking population of Latvia, cut them off information flows, and silence them as to expressing their grievances. Russian authorities have already reacted to the problem by informing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe about harassment of Russian journalists and mass media outlets.

As Brod says, it was his initiative to address the Foreign Ministry; he is of the opinion that other human rights groups and foreign politicians must express their resentment too.