The People’s Advocate sent two requests to the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe in order to fulfill his mandate. The requests informed the high officials about the current situation regarding the respect of human rights in the Transnistrian region. The Ombudsman also communicated about the actions undertaken by the National Human Rights Institution to monitor the respect of human rights in the territories not controlled by the constitutional authorities.
It was specified that NHRI, in the year 2022, received the consent of the separatist authorities to undertake two monitoring visits in the detention institutions. However, it is highlighted that access to the separatist region remains prohibited for the People’s Advocate and for the entire Human Rights Institution.
The Ombudsman drew the attention of the international institutions to the fact that with the start of the armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the human rights situation in the Transnistrian region experienced a considerable deterioration. The separatist authorities forbade contact with the constitutional authorities and instituted a criminal penalty for such actions. At the same time, the assassination of political leaders in the region remains a perpetual risk for people who want to assert themselves in the public space.
In light of the above, the Ombudsman requested the international officials to establish a new monitoring procedure, including through the establishment of a new Special Rapporteur on Transnistrian issues. The Office of the People’s Advocate will provide all the necessary support if the requested institutions do not comply with the request.
