Ukraine's parliament backs bill on military ombudsman in 1st reading
The Ukrainian parliament supported a bill on establishing the institution of a military ombudsman in the first reading on June 3, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said.
The legislation was supported by 287 lawmakers, with 25 abstaining and none voting against it. Bills must pass two readings and be signed by the president before becoming law.
Ukraine first unveiled plans to establish the office in April 2024 to ensure soldiers had a mechanism to report violations of their rights.
The military ombudsman "will be responsible for considering appeals and complaints of service members, providing primary legal assistance, conducting inspections, and investigating violations of the rights of service members and their family members," the Defense Ministry said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has tapped Olha Reshetylova, formerly a journalist and human rights activist, as the first military ombudsman.
The Military Ombudsman Office will be established as a civilian oversight body over the security and defense sector. The legislation also establishes procedures for military personnel to submit complaints and for the inspection of military units.
As Ukraine entered the fourth year of the full-scale war with Russia, several units have faced accusations of misconduct and abuse within their ranks.
Most recently, the French-trained 155th "Anne of Kyiv" Brigade is under investigation for alleged involvement of its command in handing out falsified bonus payments and demanding bribes.
Last December, the commander of the 211th Pontoon Bridge Brigade was detained for failing to address abuse and torture allegations involving his subordinates.
Read also: 'Closer to victory' – Operation Spiderweb gives much-needed morale boost to Ukrainians after 3 years of full-scale war
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