Accepted by the Cabinet
of Ministers on 2 April 2001, Riga
REGULATIONS TO LIMIT PROSTITUTION
1. These regulations set out the order whereby the
provision of sexual services with the intention of thereby receiving compensation
(hereafter - prostitution) is to be limited and controlled.
2. Engaging in prostitution shall be forbidden for
minor persons and all persons who do not have a health card. A health card,
the sample for which shall be approved by the minister of welfare, shall
be issued by a certified dermato-venerologist upon an initial examination
of the relevant individual.
3. Local governments in territories with more than
20 000 residents shall specify locations at which physical persons who engage
in prostitution (hereafter - prostitution) may offer sexual services or
accept commissions for sexual services. Other local governments shall specify
the said locations upon being asked to do so in writing by the National
police.
4. Prostitutes shall be forbidden to offer sexual
services or accepting commissions for sexual services outside of the locations
that are specified by local governments, or in an apartment or home which
do not belong to the prostitute or with respect to which the prostitute
has not concluded a rental agreement.
5. Prostitutes shall be forbidden to gather in groups
5.1. In an apartment or home, which does not belong to the prostitute
or the relevant client or with respect to which the prostitute or the client
has not concluded a rental agreement
5.2. In any apartment or other space within which a minor person is
present.
5.3. In any apartment or home where other residents of the said apartment
or home object to the prostitute’s providing sexual services.
6. Prostitutes shall be forbidden to gather in groups
to offer and provide sexual services or to accept commissions for same.
7. Each prostitute shall undergo a health examination
upon a monthly basis. The extent of the said examination shall be specified
in instructions that shall be approved by the minister of welfare. The health
examinations shall be done by and relevant notations on the prostitute’s
health card shall be made by a certified dermato-venerologist.
8. Where a prostitute has been determined to be suffering
from an illness or disorder that is included on a list that has been approved
by the minister of welfare, the said prostitute shall be forbidden to engage
in prostitution while treatment is being given and/or while medical or serological
observations are being made. The said ban shall remain in effect until
such time as the certified dermato-venerologist has determined that the
prostitute is completely well.
9. Persons in whose blood antibodies to the HIV virus
have been specified or with respect to whom the diagnosis of AIDS has been
determined shall thereafter be forbidden to engage in prostitution.
10. Sexual services shall not be offered or advertised
on the Internet, in the press and in other forms of mass media (except for
publications of an erotic nature), not shall they be offered or advertised
through the involvement of other persons.
11. No activities in which a third person engages
with the intent of promoting prostitution shall be permitted.
12. A prostitute shall display the prostitute’s health
card where asked to do so by a client.
13. A dermato-venerologist who has issued one or more
prostitutes shall once a month submit to the commander of the National
police a list containing the registration numbers of all health cards that
have been issued.
14. Upon receiving a written request from the National
police, a medical employee who has issued a health card, has examined a
prostitute or has assigned treatment to a prostitute shall provide the National
police with the requested information within 3 working days. The National
Police may issue similar requests to the national register of sexually transmitted
and contagious skin diseases, the Latvian Infectology Center (the AIDS Division),
other medical institution, which specialize in the diagnosis and treatment
of sexually transmitted disease, and the Center for AIDS prevention.
15. The implementation of the terms of these regulations
shall be supervised by officials as assigned to do so by the commander of
the National Police, doing so in collaboration with the relevant local governments/.
The Inspectorate for Control over the Quality of Medical Care and Expert
Analysis of Working Ability shall supervise the order whereby prostitutes
must undergo health examinations.
16. Where an individual fails to observe the terms
of these regulations, the said person shall be held liable in accordance
with the procedure referred to in the law.
17. Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No 427 of 4 of
November 1998, “Regulations to Limit Prostitution” (Latvijas Vestnesis,
No 336, 1998) shall hereby be declared null and void.
The Prime Minister
Andris Berzins
The Interior Minister
Mareks Seglins