Latvian Parliament Adopts New Criminal Sentence Enforcement Law in First Reading; Replaces Last Soviet-Era Code
On June 18, the Saeima passed in first reading a new Criminal Sentence Enforcement Law, replacing the 1971 Latvian Penal Enforcement Code. The new law, effective January 1, 2027, aims to modernize enforcement in line with human rights, emphasizing rehabilitation and public safety.
The Saeima adopted the Criminal Sentence Enforcement Law in its first reading on June 18, replacing the current Latvian Penal Enforcement Code, which has been in force since 1971. The new law is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.
According to Kristīne Ķipēna and Laura Šileikiste from the Ministry of Justice, although the code has been continuously improved (with 50 amendments), a completely new regulation is necessary. Raimonds Bergmanis, head of the parliamentary committee, noted that the code is the last law remaining from the Soviet era.
The draft law aims to ensure effective and human rights-compliant enforcement of sentences, thereby enhancing public safety, respect, and loyalty to the state. It will establish principles of sentence enforcement, institutional competences, enforcement procedures, the legal status of convicts, and procedures for conditional release.
The law was developed considering judgments of the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights, recommendations from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, and international standards.
Improvements focus on four directions: modern content of sentence enforcement, strengthening public safety, strengthening the fundamental rights of convicts, and making enforcement processes more efficient.
The new law emphasizes individual assessment of convicts, progressive enforcement, and rehabilitation, including broader involvement of society, NGOs, and volunteers. Security and supervision mechanisms will be enhanced to reduce informal hierarchies among inmates and prevent criminal offenses.
The law also strengthens the legal interests of victims and develops restorative justice approaches such as mediation and conciliation, which will be possible not only during but also after sentence enforcement.
Regulation of community-based sentences will be improved by eliminating duplication and consolidating probation clients' rights and obligations. Electronic monitoring will be enhanced – in high-risk cases, devices for location tracking can be proactively installed.
Placement of convicts in prisons will consider the purpose of the sentence, security, and reduction of informal hierarchies. New criteria include separating those who have not been previously incarcerated, and, if possible, placing them in facilities closer to their residence. From 2028, rehabilitation needs will also be taken into account.
