Interfax, 11.07.2016

Moscow, 11 July. Interfax. The YABLOKO party proposed Yevgeny Bunimovich who is the Moscow Ombudsman for Children’s Rights [at present] for the post of the Russian Ombudsman for Children’s Rights.

“I think that the candidacy of Yevgeny Bunimovich for the post of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights will be optimal – both politically and socially, and most importantly for the protection of the rights of the child,” runs the statement by YABLOKO Chair Emilia Slabunova to the President of Russia as quoted by the [YABLOKO] Press Service.

According to YABLOKO leader, Yevgeny Bunimovich “can establish a dialogue with society” and transfer the solution of the problems of protection of children’s rights “from the present speculative politicised level into practical deeds”.

Last week the Russian human rights defenders proposed [human rights activist and the frist obmudsman for children’s rights] Alexei Golovan to the post of the Federal Ombudsman for Children’s Rights, as well as the doctor Elizaveta Glinka. Golovan was proposed by head of Moscow Helsinki Group Lyudmila Alekseyeva, and Glinka was named by leader of the movement “For Human Rights” Lev Ponomaryov.

Yevgeny Bunimovich has been Commissioner for Children’s Rights in Moscow since 2009. From 1997 to 2009 he was an MP in the Moscow City Duma from the YABLOKO party and since 2001 was Chairman of the Commission on Science and Education of the Moscow parliament.

Alexei Golovan held the post of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in Moscow from 6 February 2002 to 1 August 2009, and the post of the Federal Commissioner for Children’s Rights from September 1 to December 26, 2009, and was succeeded by Pavel Astakhov [in the latter].

Elisaveta Glinka, commonly known as “Doctor Lisa”, is doctor of palliative medicine and Executive Director of the Spradevlivaya Pomosch (Fair Aid) Charity Fund, as well as a member of the Presidential Council on Civil Society and Human Rights.

On 4 July, Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the Russian President, said that Astakhov would leave his post when coming back after his vacation.

On Monday, it became known that Astakhov returned from vacation back to work, and Peskov confirmed that Astakhov was to leave his post.

Meanwhile, the Press Service of the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights informed Interfax on Monday morning that the Ombudsman’s Office was working as usual.
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