Vote for Human Rights Ombudsperson on Thursday, 8 February

If elected Human Rights Ombudsperson human rights defender Yevhen Zakharov plans in the first instance to introduce regional Ombudspersons. He spoke of this today, 7 February, during a press conference in the Chernihiv Reform Press Club.

Yevhen Zakharov stated that the institution of regional representatives of the Human Rights Ombudsperson needs to be introduced in order to increase the effectiveness of the work of the Ombudsperson in Ukraine. “This is particularly relevant for regions, including Chernihiv, which have strong human rights organizations”, he stressed.

In his opinion, cooperation with nongovernmental and human rights organizations is crucial. The candidate for position of Human Rights Ombudsperson also spoke of his intention, if elected, to bring in Ombudspersons for children’s rights, minority rights and the right of access to information and personal data protection.

As reported, there are two candidates for the post: State Deputy from the Party of the Regions Nina Karpachova who was Human Rights Ombudsperson for 8 years, and the Head of the Board of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union and Co-Chair of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, Yevhen Zakharov.

The vote is scheduled for 8 February.

see also:
• The Monitoring must go on
• A Human Rights Ombudsperson must serve the people not the coalition
• The Constitutional Court to rule over the Law on the Human Rights Ombudsperson
• Why you should always advertise your press conferences
• The Fun and games are over
• Shadowing for transparency
• Open letter to the Authorised Human Rights Representative of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Nina Karpachova
• OPORA: Statement on the election of a “new” Ombudsperson
• Party of the Regions to determine policy on human rights
• Group formed to monitor the Human Rights Ombudsperson’s work
• Public control over the work of the Human Rights Ombudsperson!
• Why I filed a suit against Moroz
• Administrative suit filed against Oleksandr Moroz
• Thirst for freedom
• PACE expresses concern over the election of Human Rights Ombudsperson in Ukraine
• Civic society calls for an independent Human Rights Ombudsperson
• Yevhen Zakharov - Guest on the BBC
• When the obvious needs to be explained
• Yevhen Zakharov: The Work of the Human Rights Ombudsperson must become transparent and palpable