Attorney-General Senator the Hon George Brandis QC and the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Hon Julie Bishop MP today announced that the Australian Government has formally ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).

Maria Lúcia Amaral was elected, by the Parliament, as the Portuguese Ombudsman on October 20th 2017 and took office on November 2nd the same year.

The term of Ms Lucia Franchini as Ombudsman of Tuscany (Italy) ended and as a result, the position of one European Director on the IOI Board of Directors became vacant. According to the European regional by-laws one of the Directors at the European regional Board, Ms Ülle Madise, Chancellor of Justice of Estonia, took over the vacant seat at the IOI Board and elections were held to fill the vacant position on the European regional Board.

An event dedicated to International Day of Migrants was co-organized by the Azerbaijani Commissioner for Human Rights, State Migration Service, International Organization for Migration and EU on 19 December. The Azerbaijani Ombudsman attended the event.

El Defensor del Pueblo de la provincia de Santa Fe, Raúl Lamberto, participó en la ciudad de Recreo de la Audiencia Pública convocada por la Secretaría de Energía de la provincia donde se discutió el pedido de aumento de la tarifa de luz que presentó la Empresa Provincial de la Energía.

The 15th meeting of “Business and Human Rights” Working Group at the Ombudsman was held. The event entitled “Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of business and human rights” was attended by member of the Parliament, representatives of the Ombudsman's Office, respective state bodies, NGOs and members  of independent Experts’ Council at the Ombudsman.

La Defensoría del Pueblo de la provincia de Santa Fe y las Multisectoriales de Mujeres de Rosario y Santa Fe acordaron estrategias y acciones para profundizar y optimizar las labores que se vienen realizando en torno a la perspectiva de género y derechos humanos, en pos de avanzar en materia de igualdad, equidad y justicia para que varones y mujeres cuenten con los mismos derechos y posibilidades.

La Procuración Penitenciaria presenta un documento actualizado con los resultados de la aplicación del Procedimiento para la Investigación y Documentación de Fallecimientos en Prisión, ante cada muerte de detenidos bajo custodia del SPF registrada, desde el 1º de enero de 2009 hasta el 30 de septiembre de 2017.