Meeting of Working Group on Updating Model Law on Status of the Commissioner for Human Rights Held

The Human Rights Commission of the Commonwealth of Independent States works in the format of working groups. On 26 August 2024, the first meeting of the Working Group on the preparation of proposals for a Revised Model Law on Status of the Commissioner for Human Rights was held.

The group is headed by representative of the Russian Federation in the Commission – High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Tatiana Moskalkova. The Working Group includes representatives of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The Model Law on Status of the Commissioner for Human Rights was adopted at the 24^th Plenary Session of the IPA CIS in December 2004. Over the past twenty years, as noted by the participants of the meeting, not only the legal framework, but also the very practice of human rights institutions has changed.

There is a need to correct the Model Law, to update its provisions on the status of the Commissioner (Ombudsman), guarantees of his activities and powers, as well as provisions on the rights and guarantees of citizens seeking assistance from a human rights institution.

Representatives of the CIS countries – members of the working group are preparing their proposals for a new version of the Model Law.

The next meeting of the working group will be held at the end of September 2024.