95–100% | |
90–95% | |
50–70% | |
30–35% | |
10–20% | |
5–10% | |
4–5% | |
2–4% | |
1–2% | |
< 1% |
The presence ofMuslims in Latvia was first recorded in the 19th century. TheseMuslims were mainlyTatar andTurkic people who had been taken toLatvia against their will; they includedTurkishprisoners of war from theCrimean War and theRusso-Turkish War of 1877.
After theSiege of Plevna in 1877, a few hundred Turkish prisoners were taken to the town ofCēsis, of whom 19 fell ill with several respiratory diseases and died fromtyphoid during the following winter or spring. They were buried in a cemetery next to the barracks they resided in. By 1879, most of the remaining Turks had returned home; however, some chose to stay.[2]
In 1902, a Muslim congregation was officially established and recognized by the government. The community elected Ibrahim Davidof as its leader and a prayer hall was inaugurated. The majority of Muslims residing in Latvia in the early part of the 20th century were conscripted into theRussian army. After release from service, most would leave forMoscow.
During the creation of theSoviet Union and amid civil war, many refugees entered Latvia, including Muslims of various ethnicities. They were, however, known toLatvians asTurks. In 1928, Shakir Husnetdinov, aTurkic priest, was elected leader of Riga Muslim community. He held that post until 1940.
According to The Central Bureau of Statistics, there were seven Islamic groups registered in 2011, a number that had dropped to five a year later. They included Idel, a Muslim organization led by Rufia Shervireva, and Iman, a Latvian Chechen congregation led by Musan Machigov.[3]
In 2009, the total Muslim population in Latvia was estimated to be at about 2,000 by Pew Forum.[4] Virtually all Muslims in Latvia wereSunni, but there was also an active presence ofAhmadi.[5] That same year, poet and translatorUldis Bērziņš finished the Latvian translation of theQuran.
After theCharlie Hebdo shooting at the beginning of 2015, Oleg Petrov, head of theIslamic Cultural Centre of Latvia, pointed out that Islam prohibits the murder of innocent civilians, but expressed a belief that the editorial team nevertheless deserved to be punished, albeit in a less severe manner. His statements suggesting that the editorial team should have instead "had their fingers broken" subsequently prompted the Internal Security Police to investigate his behavior.[6][7]
On March 29, 2015, the Islamic Cultural Centre expressed concern on the growingIslamophobia in Latvia after a mosque in Riga was sprayed with graffiti that read, "Your Allah – your problem! Go home!" on the night of March 27.[8] On September 24, the Riga municipal police broke up an unsanctioned Muslim outdoor prayer attended by around 30 men at a courtyard inBrīvības iela for violating public statutes on the organization of public entertainment and festive events.[9]
Later that year, a representative of the Centre, Roberts Klimovičs, sparked another controversy by declaring that Latvia will become a Muslim country in 50 years. He would later go on to clarify that, "using democratic means, the majority of Latvians will elect a parliament that supportsSharia law. And we are moving towards that, without any violence or anything."[10]
In 2016, a video of Petrov appeared on aDaesh propaganda wire in which he encouragedJihadism and praised the Charlie Hebdo shooters. This became the third public case of a Latvian citizen joining Daesh. His comments were condemned by the new head of the Islamic Cultural Center, Jānis Luciņš, who said that the country's Muslim community felt betrayed.[11] On October 19, 2016, a man was sentenced 140 hours ofcommunity service forhate speech against Muslims in online comments.[12]
