DUSHANBE, November 16, 2009, Asia-Plus — A roundtable on using and assisting the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman, formally titled “Strategic Legal Cases and Strengthening of the Ombudsman Institution in Tajikistan,” was held in Khorog, the capital of Gorno Badakhshan on November 14.
Organized by Tajik law firm, Tajik Legal Consortium (TLC), under support of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, the meeting is part of the OSCE-supported projects aimed at helping to build the capacity of national human rights institutions to actively promote justice and strengthen human rights mechanisms, the TLC head Rahmatillo Zoirov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, they will establish 50 public ombudsman offices in the country. “The 50 people chosen will receive training to lay foundation of development of volunteer movement for strengthening of the Ombudsman Institution in Tajikistan,” Mr. Zoirov said, noting that they will then begin legal counseling, defending people”s rights, and even representing some people in court while also informing international organizations about the office”s activities.
