Kyrgyzstan: Ensure broad, participatory and transparent selection of Ombudsperson

BISHKEK – Kyrgyzstan will select a new Ombudsperson to lead the country’s human rights institution for the next five years following Kubat Otorbaev’s resignation from the post in June 2018. Each of Kyrgyzstan’s parliamentary fractions has been asked to nominate up to three candidates and Parliament will then choose the Ombudsperson through a majority vote. However, the law governing the process provides little guidance to the parliamentary fractions and their affiliated parties on how to identify suitable candidates.

“The manner in which the Ombudsperson is selected will likely have great importance for the future trajectory and strength of the institution. Kyrgyzstan should use this crucial moment to ensure that the new Ombudsperson is selected through a broad, participatory and transparent process,” said Ryszard Komenda, Head of the UN Human Rights Office in Central Asia.

When the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in March 2012 accredited Kyrgyzstan’s Ombudsman as partially compliant with the international standards, the so-called Paris Principles, it highlighted, among other concerns, that vacancies for the posts of Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman had not been advertised widely.

A process that ensures pluralism in line with the Paris Principles would include broad advertising of the vacancy, with the aim of reaching all potential candidates, including women and minorities. “Such a process would promote the independence of, and people’s trust in, the office of Kyrgyzstan’s Ombudsperson”, said Komenda.

For more information or media requests, please contact: Peter Naderer (+996 770 70 10 36 / pnaderer@ohchr.org)