RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


New ombudsman for human rights for Russia

TATIANA MOSKALKOVA BECOMES PLENIPOTENTIARY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Interfax.ru, 22 April 2016

 

On Friday the State Duma appointed Tatiana Moskalkova, a member of the "A Just Russia" fraction, plenipotentiary for human rights in the RF. Moskalkova received the votes of 323 deputies, while the necessary minimum was 226 votes.

 

In her position, Moskalkova intends to deal with labor relations and problems of compatriots living abroad, and to publish an informational bulletin. She also declared her readiness to resist attempts of the West to use human rights as a political instrument.

 

"Today the theme of rights protection is actively used by western and American structures as a weapon of blackmail, speculation, threat, and an attempt to destabilize and put pressure on Russia. And the commissioner for human rights has sufficient tools in order to counteract these phenomena," Moskalkova noted.

 

Besides Moskalkova, the fractions earlier nominated for the position of plenipotentiary for human rights in the RF deputies Oleg Smolin (KPRF), Ivan Sukharev, Anton Morozov, and Sergei Kalashnikov, a member of the Federation Council (all three are from the LDPR). A member of this same fraction, Margarita Svergunova, aspired to the post of ombudsman as a self-nominated candidate. The United Russia deputies did not nominate their own candidate, having decided to support Moskalkova.

 

At the session, all candidates presented their vision of the work in the office of ombudsman and answered deputies' questions. Morozov also presented his position, but at the same time he declared that he was withdrawing his candidacy "in favor of Sergei Kalashnikov." A similar decision was later made by his fraction colleague Sukharev.

 

Voting was conducted secretly with anonymous cards.

 

The office of human rights commissioner was vacated because of the transfer of Ella Pamfilova to work in the Central Election Commission.

 

Moskalkova is a State Duma deputy from the "A Just Russia" fraction; the vice-chair of the State Duma Committee on Affairs of the CIS, Eurasian Integration, and Communictions with Compatriots; a major general of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; a doctor of laws and philosophy; a professor; and a distinguished jurist of the RF.

 

She was born in 1955 in Vitebsk. She graduated from the All-Union Judicial Correspondence Institute, and was a graduate student in the Institute of State and Law of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and a doctoral student in the Academy of Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs [MVD] of Russia. In 1972 she worked as an accountant in the Foreign Judicial College and a clerk, senior judicial consultant, and consultant of the Department of Pardons of the presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR.

 

In 1974 she worked as a consultant in the Department for Questions of Pardon on the presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. From 1974 to 1984 she worked in the Department of Pardons of the presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, occupying the offices of secretary, senior judicial consultant, and consultant. In 1984 she was in the legal service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR.

 

She worked as deputy director of the Chief Administration of Legal Work and Foreign Relations of the MVD, and then as first deputy director of the legal department of the MVD. In 1999 she was elected to the State Duma from the Yabloko party.

 

In 2007 she was elected a State Duma deputy of the fifth convocation from the federal list of candidates, nominated by the political party of "A Just Russia: Motherland/Retirees/Life," and was a member of the "A Just Russia" fraction and vice-chairman of the State Duma Committee on Affairs of the CIS and Communications with Compatriots.

 

In 2011 she was elected a State Duma deputy of the sixth convocation, a member of the "A Just Russia" fraction, vice-chair of the State Duma Committee for Affairs of the CIS and Communications with Compatriots, and a member of the State Duma Commission on Oversight of Reliability of Data on Incomes, Property, and Property Obligations Presented by Deputies of the State Duma. (tr. by PDS, posted 22 April 2016)

 

MOSKALKOVA READY TO DEFEND RIGHTS OF ALL, REGARDLESS OF RELIGION

Interfax-Religiia, 22 April 2016

 

The new plenipotentiary for human rights in the RF, Tatiana Moskalkova, intends to defend the rights of all people, regardless of their religious affiliation.

 

"The plenipotentiary for human rights is obligated to defend everybody, regardless of their confessional affiliation. I will treat with understanding and sympathy any public activity for human well being, if it does not cause inter-confessional and inter-ethnic strife," T. Moskalkova told Interfax, responding to a question about her attitude toward the appearance of religious and, particularly, Orthodox rights advocacy organizations.

 

At the same time, she reported that she is an Orthodox believer. "I myself am an Orthodox person and a member of the inter-fractional State Duma Group for Protection of Christian Values," T. Moskalkova said.

 

On Friday, the State Duma appointed a member of the "A Just Russia" fraction, T. Moskalkova, ombudsman. Six candidates were considered for the post. T. Moskalkova received votes of 323 deputies while the necessary minimum is 226 votes. (tr. by PDS, posted 22 April 2016)


Russia Religion News Current News Items

Editorial disclaimer: RRN does not intend to certify the accuracy of information presented in articles. RRN simply intends to certify the accuracy of the English translation of the contents of the articles as they appeared in news media of countries of the former USSR.

If material is quoted, please give credit to the publication from which it came. It is not necessary to credit this Web page. If material is transmitted electronically, please include reference to the URL, http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/.