DISINFO: Notion of the non-citizens was invented in the Baltic countries to limit the legal rights of the people that live there
SUMMARY
It is hard to believe that hundreds of thousands of people have been declared non-citizens in a modern civilised society. Such a category does not even exist – it is not envisaged by international law.
There are citizens, people with dual citizenship or without any, but the notion of “non-citizens” has never existed. It was invented in the Baltic countries to limit the legal rights of the people that live there.
This is why we are in dialogue with our partners in the EU in the hope that eventually they will be ashamed that while they pay attention to human rights violations beyond the EU, they allow flagrant violations of human rights on EU territory. Latvia discriminates Russian-speakers.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation on the Baltic countries discriminating the Russian-speaking minority.
The disinformation refers to situation in Latvia. It is the position of the Republic of Latvia that non-citizens of Latvia are not stateless persons. The special temporary status "former citizens of the USSR without the citizenship of the Republic of Latvia or any other country" was introduced by Latvian authorities following the collapse of the Soviet Union to a group of persons, who had immigrated during the period of Soviet occupation and who lost their USSR citizenship after the dissolution of the Soviet Union but who had never been citizens of the Republic of Latvia or their descendants and were permanently residing in Latvia.
Non-citizens enjoy equal protection under the law both in Latvia and while living or travelling abroad, and are the only group of persons, in addition to citizens, who are granted permanent residence in Latvia ex lege.
Non-citizens are able to become citizens of Latvia through a simple naturalization procedure, and currently more than 142,000 persons have been granted citizenship of the Republic of Latvia in this manner. The percentage of non-citizens has dropped to 12% (257 377) in July 2015 compared to 29% (approximately 730 000) in 1995.
Since 2008, Russia has allowed Latvian and Estonian non-citizens to travel without visa to Russia, which makes not becoming a citizen of Latvia or Estonia a favourable option for some. Further debunking by the Insider.
Updated 27 November to clarify that "it is the position of the Republic of Latvia that non-citizens of Latvia are not stateless persons".