Grandson of a Latvian ballerina living in Iran seeks Latvian citizenship in court
An administrative court in Riga has heard a case about the grandson of a ballerina born in Latvia in 1914, who is asking to be recognised as a Latvian citizen. The woman's life had taken her as far as Iran.
The Administrative Court in Riga has examined a case in which a man from Iran is trying to have his Latvian citizenship recognised on the basis of his ancestry. His grandmother was a ballerina born in Latvia on 1 December 1914, whose life path eventually led her to Iran.
The case stems from an application the woman's grandson made to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. This is the Latvian state institution that handles citizenship and population registration matters. He asked the office to recognise him as a citizen of Latvia.
The matter reached the Administrative Court, which resolves disputes between individuals and state institutions, so the question was brought before a judge. The information available does not say what the court decided or what arguments each side presented.
The story shows how the twists of one Latvian ballerina's life, which took her from her homeland to Iran, still matter decades later as her descendants seek a link with Latvia.
