DUSHANBE, December 10, 2008, Asia-Plus — The issue of appointment of a Tajik ombudsman is in the stage of solution, Yusuf Salimov, the head of the department for constitutional guarantees of human rights within President’s Executive Office remarked at the conference entitled “Tajikistan and the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” in Dushanbe on December 10.
According to him, the president is currently considering candidacy for this position.
Organized by the Government of Tajikistan, OSCE Office in Tajikistan, UNDP, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights under support of the Swedish Government, the conference discussed issues related to the establishment of a Tajik human rights ombudsman institution, the implementation of international obligations on human rights, access to justice and the reform of the country”s Criminal Procedure Code.
The event brought together some 70 participants from government institutions, civil society, international agencies and the diplomatic corps.
Speaking at the conference, leader of the Social-Democratic Party (SDPT) also head of Tajik Legal Consortium, Rahmatillo Zoirov, said that he had worked out a concept of further development of the human rights ombudsman institution in the country. He added that he is also working out amendments to the country’s law on the ombudsman institution, which has, according to him, “principle shortcomings.”
Thus, under the ombudsman law that was adopted in February this year the president will appoint and relieve national ombudsman, and submit edicts for confirmation of parliament. “It is not right,” said Zoirov, “The national human rights official should be elected by parliament.”
In the meantime, Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, noted, “Tajikistan”s OSCE commitments complement and reiterate the Articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which Tajikistan ratified soon after its independence.” “Although Tajikistan faces certain challenges when it comes to human rights, we are hopeful that with a cooperative spirit, the government, civil society and the people of this great country will build a society based on UN human rights principles and OSCE human dimension commitments,” Ambassador Pryakhin said.
Press release issued by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan on December 10 said that Tajikistan is expected to form an Institution of the Human Rights Ombudsman in 2009. The government is also expected, with close consultation with the human rights and legal civil society of Tajikistan, to reform its outdated Criminal Procedure Code.
Tajik civil society members and representatives of international organizations are hopeful that in 2009 the authorities will sign an agreement with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), allowing full and unhindered access to Tajikistan”s prisons, prisoners and places of detention, a standard which is practiced in many countries, press release said.
