Military Ombudsman to receive legislative basis: what does the new position entail?
17 September 16:35
In the second reading, the Verkhovna Rada adopted draft law 13266, which defines the legal status, tasks and organizational principles of the military ombudsman.
The document was voted in favor by 283 deputies, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
From now on, the position, created by the President’s decision at the end of 2024, will receive clear legal regulation.
Who is the military ombudsman?
- Appointment: the military ombudsman will be appointed by the President of Ukraine for a term of five years, no more than two consecutive terms.
- Requirements: the candidate must be a citizen of Ukraine over 30 years of age, with a master’s degree or higher, be fluent in Ukrainian and have lived in the country for at least five years prior to appointment.
- Powers: The document provides for the establishment of the Office of the Military Ombudsman, which will collect and review complaints from military personnel, conduct inspections and initiate responses to violations of their rights.
What will it do?
The Military Ombudsman is to become an independent institution for the protection of the rights of military personnel and their families. In particular
- monitor the observance of social and legal guarantees for military personnel;
- respond to complaints regarding medical care, military medical commissions, and transfers between units;
- coordinate the provision of legal advice and assistance;
- refer systemic problems to the parliament, government or the Ministry of Defense.
How it works now
The position of the military ombudsman was first introduced in December 2024, when the president appointed human rights activist Olha Reshetylova.
In the first 20 days of her work, she received 3,876 appeals from military personnel.
- The most common problems are failure to be referred to a military medical commission, lack of proper treatment, and difficulties with transferring between units.
- Some appeals were not related to the rights of the military – they were referred to other agencies.
- In some cases, the Ombudsman provided contacts of lawyers for individual consultations.
Why it is important
- In wartime, the issue of protecting the rights of servicemen becomes critically important.
- Legislative consolidation of powers provides the Ombudsman with clear mechanisms of influence and increases trust in the institution.
- The established procedure should reduce bureaucratic pressure on the military and their families.
Ukraine already has a human rights ombudsman who deals with a wide range of issues, from protecting children’s rights to combating discrimination. The military ombudsman is a new institution created in response to the challenges of a full-scale war.
Apart from Ukraine, similar positions exist in a number of NATO countries. For example, in Germany and Norway, military ombudsmen have a parliamentary mandate and act as “human rights defenders in uniform.”
