The issue of appointing one of their colleagues to the human rights commissioner’s position in Nenets Autonomous Area is to be considered at the regular session of the Legislative Council of the area on Thursday.

Previously, the regional deputies introduced Alexander Belugin as a candidate for this position. In the current convocation he chairs the permanent Committee for Minorities of the North, Ecology and Natural Resource Management.

The vacancy has not been occupied since October last year when the previous human rights commissioner in NAA Tatiana Badiyan resigned early following her election as a Deputy of the Assembly of Deputies.

In accordance with the regional law, the human rights commissioner is to be appointed by the majority of secret ballot votes from the number of selected deputies.

For reference: on 20 February in the first reading the State Duma adopted a package of amendments significantly extending authorities of human rights commissioners of the federal and regional levels. The amendments to the Law On General Principles of Organisation of Legislative and Executive Authorities in Territorial Entities of the Russian Federation establish the order of appointment of regional human rights commissioners and a range of persons entitled to introduce a candidate for consideration of a legislative body of the entity. Pursuant to the new rules, the regional authorities are due to agree upon the candidate with the federal human rights commissioner.