Ukraine's parliament passes law on military ombudsman
The Ukrainian parliament approved a bill formalizing the institution of a military ombudsman in the second and final reading on Sept. 17.
The new legislation outlines the military ombudsman's rights, tasks, and obligations, as well as rules for submitting complaints and conducting inspections.
The government first presented the position last year to ensure soldiers had a mechanism to report violations of their rights.
After more than three and a half years of Russia's full-scale war, several Ukrainian units have faced accusations of misconduct and abuse within their ranks.
During the second reading, 283 lawmakers supported the bill, with 18 abstaining and none voting against it. The legislation still requires a presidential signature before coming into force.
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.
According to the law, the ombudsman is appointed by the president for five years and can serve no more than two consecutive terms.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Olha Reshetylova, formerly a journalist and human rights activist, as the first military ombudsman.
