Visa to be issued to Russian activist

RIGA- An exceptional Latvianvisa was promised to Alexander Kazakov, the activist of the Russian schoolprotection organization, who was expelled from Latvia, to legalize his presence atthe court sitting on June 10, the Russian language daily Vesti Segodnja reports.

Kazakov will receive the visa on June 9 in order to arrivefor the administrative court session in Riga.The daily reports that on this day the court will hear the case of Kazakov'sclaim against Latvian Foreign Ministry.

Kazakov was expelled from Latviaon September 4, 2004. The Latvian Interior Minister Eriks Jekabsons then saidat a special press briefing: "My patience is exhausted. We cannot cuddleforever with an individual, who deliberately incites ethnic hatred."

Kazakov submitted a claim at the Supreme Court to lift the decision ofJekabsons to include him in the black list and the court satisfied his requestin February 2006. Yet, on the next weekday after the announcement of theverdict, Kazakov was repeatedly blacklisted.

Kazakov promised to continue the fight for his rights.