Requirement that only students with Covid-19 certificates may go to universities not a violation of human rights - ombudsman

RIGA - The requirement that only students who have been vaccinated against or have recovered from Covid-19 may attend higher education institutions, effective mid-October, does not go against the Constitution and does not constitute a violation of human rights, believes Ombudsman Juris Jansons.

The ombudsman has received several residents' complaints regarding the new requirements for students, which claim that these requirements, according to which only students who have been vaccinated against or have recovered from Covid-19 may attend higher education institutions in person from October 11, is discriminatory against unvaccinated students.

Jansons points out that the requirement is provided for in the Cabinet regulations, it is justified, does not constitute a violation of human rights, and is in line with the Constitution.

According to Jansons, the new requirement is justified by the need to ensure provision of epidemiologically safe services and by public health reasons.