On January 29, 2024, Public Defender Levan Ioseliani presented a new Deputy Public Defender of Georgia.

Irine Chikhladze will coordinate and supervise the activities of the Department of Children's Rights, Gender Department, Department of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Equality Department and Regional Division of the Public Defender's Office.

Irine Chikhladze came to the Public Defender’s Office from the United Water Supply Company of Georgia, where in 2020-2024 she worked first as an advisor to the director of the company, and then as the head of the project management department funded by donor organizations. In addition, she is a visiting professor of competition law and European law at the Georgian National University (SEU).

While living in Germany, Irine Chikhladze worked in Munich (Germany) at the Department of Combating Terrorism and Money Laundering, Bavarian Insurance Chamber. She was a member of the Board of the Association of Georgians in Germany, a young ambassador of Georgia to the Federal Republic of Germany sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.

Irine Chikhladze is still a doctoral student at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), Faculty of Law, and has received Master's degree in law at the same university. She also has Bachelor's and Master's degrees of Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Faculty of Law. As part of her Master's degree, she has studied for one term at the Saarland University in Germany.

In different years, she worked in the German Federal Antimonopoly Service (in Bonn) and the Office of the German Parliamentary Bureau (in Berlin); She also worked in the Georgian Competition Agency, the Bureau of the Parliament of Georgia, the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court of Georgia.

She is the author and manager of TechGirls Georgia, a project in the direction of digital technologies and innovations.

She has published works and publications in the direction of politics, public and criminal law.

She is fluent in German and English.

The 10th Anniversary of the constitution of the High Commissioner for the Protection of Rights, Liberties, and for Mediation of Monaco was commemorated in a ceremony attended by prominent personalities in the field of human rights, rule of law and governance. The Office was established by the Sovereign Ordinance of 30 October 2013. It is a recognised fact that the office of the High Commissioner has played a remarkable role in the Principality of Monaco in protecting the fundamental rights of persons and actively acting as a mediator.

The event was not only held under the patronage but was also attended by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. The distinguished guests who were invited to attend and were present for the occasion included the Parliamentary Ombudsman of Malta, Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon.

In her introductory address, Ms Marina Ceyssac, [link to speech] the current High Commissioner of Monaco, highlighted her institution’s role as a protector of rights and liberties, emphasising her office’s drive to support persons seeking to assert their rights in everyday life outside the formal legal process.

The event was also addressed by Mr Peter Svetina, [link to speech] Ombudsman of Slovenia and Vice President of the Association of Mediterranean Ombudsmen. He dwelt on various issues that should be on the agenda of every Ombudsman institution, foremost amongst which the protection of human rights of every person, on the one hand, and the other, placing central in the initiatives of the office of the Ombudsman the right to good administration in domestic law following on the model already in force within the framework of Article 41 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Mr Patrice Davost, [link to speech] representing Monaco as a member of the European Commission, highlighted the importance of combating racism and intolerance and how the Principality’s efforts align with broader European initiatives. Mr. Davost detailed the ECRI’s work, goals, and impact while recognising Monaco’s significant contributions to these efforts.

Next to address those present was Ms Stéphanie Mourou-Vikström, [link to speech] Monegasque Judge of the European Court of Human Rights. Her presentation was particularly important in the sense that she expressly advocated the role of the Office of the Ombudsman not just as an investigator of malpractice by the public administration but more so as a promoter and a defender of fundamental human rights prior to resorting to litigation.

H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco concluded the event by thanking all those present for attending, especially the representatives from Ombudsman institutions outside Monaco, including Malta. He had words of praise for the former High Commissioner Ambassador Claire Eastwood, who incidentally will be taking up office as Ambassador of the Principality of Monaco to Malta, and also for the current High Commissioner Ms Marina Ceyssac and her dedicated team for their sterling work in their daily efforts in promoting and defending human rights.

“The joint Muslim-Jewish observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day is a beacon of hope at a time when divisions often seem insurmountable. This commitment to fostering partnerships and meaningful dialogue is a powerful testament to the strength that lies in unity”, said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, in support of the joint Muslim-Jewish commemorative event, which is taking take place at the Srebrenica Memorial Center in Potočari, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 27 January 2024.

“We are witnessing a disturbing rise in acts of violence, hate speech, discrimination and incitement to hatred based on religion or belief. Mosques, synagogues and other religious places, as well as private homes, have been targeted and vandalised.

Across Europe, the rise in anti-Muslim and antisemitic incidents is a reminder of a dark past and a stark warning of the challenges ahead.

These acts run counter to the basic principles of pluralism, respect and openness to which we are all bound, and which have been upheld by the European Court of Human Rights. We must remember our duty to act decisively against hate speech, incitement to religious violence and discrimination. It is our collective responsibility to create conditions conducive to remembering and commemorating the victims of past genocides and fighting all manifestations of antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred and forms of ethnic or religious intolerance.

The commemoration in Potočari is a light in the darkness that I hope will inspire others to join and further these important efforts.”

Our Quarterly Bulletin highlights some of our most recent investigation reports and provides other updates on our work.

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Quarterly Bulletin - January 2024 (538.87 KB, pdf)

El Defensor del Pueblo-Nafarroako Arartekoa, Patxi Vera, y la delegada del Gobierno en Navarra, Alicia Echeverría, mantuvieron este jueves un primer encuentro en la sede de la Delegación. Una cita en la que se han tratado temas coincidentes y, donde han manifestado su interés por mantener una estrecha colaboración en asuntos de interés para la ciudadanía.