DUSHANBE, June 19, 2009, Asia-Plus — On Thursday June 18, Tajik Human Rights Commissioner (ombudsman) Zarif Alizoda met here with representatives of more than 30 local public associations.
Organized by the Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law, Consumers’ Union of Tajikistan and the Public Association Society and Law, focused on the structure of Tajik ombudsman agency and supposed activity of this institution.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Ms. Nargis Zokirova, the chairperson of the Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law, said that Mr. Alizoda had noted that the ombudsman agency will work mainly in three directions – civil-political, socioeconomic and cultural rights.
“According to him, the agency has already received applications and complaints from citizens, and therefore, it is necessary to take persons on the staff,” said Zokirova, “Alizoda said the staff members will be competitively selected and those accepted to work with the agency will take special training course on basics of human rights.”
According to her, the human rights commissioner expressed hope that public associations would make contribution to training of personnel for the human rights institution and raising people’s awareness of the new institution and its powers.
Speaking at the meeting, Alizoda also noted that it was planned to work out a number of legal documents concerning the ombudsman agency in Tajikistan and its activities. He noted that the main direction of the institution’s activity was in considering and preparing resolutions on complaints received from citizens.
The human rights commissioner also noted that he was scheduled to hold meetings with representatives of public associations active in Gorno Badakhshan, Khatlon and Sughd provinces soon.
The meeting participants suggested that the human rights commissioner should hold quarterly theme meetings with NGOs, jointly with them publish annual reports on the human rights situation, prepare alternative reports to the UN committee, and in case of necessity, forward complaints to the specialized NGOs.
The sides reached a preliminary agreement to hold the next meeting in September this year, Zokirova said.
