Criminal Code of Latvia (1998, as amended 2014) (excerpts related to Hate Crimes Laws) (English)

CRIMINAL CODE

(excerpts)

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Section 48. Aggravating Circumstances
(1) The following may be considered to be aggravating circumstances:
1) the criminal offence constitutes recidivism of criminal offences;
2) the criminal offence was committed while in a group of persons;
3) the criminal offence was committed, taking advantage in bad faith of an official position or trust of another person;
4) the criminal offence has caused serious consequences;
5) the criminal offence was committed against a woman, knowing her to be pregnant;
6) the criminal offence was committed against a person who has not attained sixteen years of age or against a person taking advantage of his or her helpless condition or of infirmity due to old-age;
7) the criminal offence was committed against a person taking advantage of his or her official, financial or other dependence on the offender;
8) the criminal offence was committed with particular cruelty or with humiliation of the victim;
9) the criminal offence was committed taking advantage of the circumstances of a public disaster;
10) the criminal offence was committed employing weapons or explosives, or in some other generally dangerous way;
11) the criminal offence was committed out of a desire to acquire property;
12) the criminal offence was committed under the influence of alcohol, narcotic, psychotropic, toxic or other intoxicating substances;
13) the person committing the criminal offence, for the purpose of having his or her punishment reduced, has knowingly provided false information regarding a criminal offence committed by another person;
14) the criminal offence was committed due to racist, national, ethnic or religious motives;
15) the criminal offence related to violence or threats of violence, or the criminal offence against morality and sexual inviolability was committed against a person to whom the perpetrator is related in the first or second degree of kinship, against the spouse or former spouse, or against a person with whom the perpetrator is or has been in unregistered marital relationship, or against a person with whom the perpetrator has a joint (single) household.
(2) Taking into account the nature of the criminal offence, it may be decided not to consider any of the circumstances referred to in Paragraph one of this Section as aggravating.
(3) In determining punishment, such circumstances may not be considered as aggravating which are not set out in this Law.
(4) A circumstance which is provided for in this Law as a constituent element of a criminal offence shall not be considered an aggravating circumstance.

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