As a national human rights institution (NHRI) the Austrian Ombudsman Board (AOB) takes the opportunity to submit its comments regarding the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in Austria.

New-born babies should be allowed to stay with their convicted mother – amendment of the relevant rule of law at the initiative of the Ombudsman.

Throughout 2011, the Síndic de Greuges’s (Catalan Ombudsman’s) activities were especially marked by the financial downturn and budget cutbacks derived from it. The Catalan Ombudsman’s Office has worked throughout 2011 to achieve greater efficiency, while still vying to be more effective

The Office of the Ombudsman, Botswana is delighted to introduce, the newly appointed Ombudsman, Mrs. Festina Shale Bakwena, the former Director of Public Service Management. Mrs. Bakwena’s appointment will go down in the history of this country as a landmark, in view of the fact that she is the first woman to ever ascend to this highest position in the country since the inception of the Office in 1997.

Jacqueline Liu, the diplomat who was arrested by the FBI last November on charges of violating a US federal labor law was recently suspended from her duties for two years by the Judicial Yuan’s disciplinary commission.

As of 1 July 2012 the Austrian Ombudsman Board (AOB) operates as National Preventive Mechanism within the OPCAT-regime. With regard to these new tasks the AOB attended the expert workshop on “Irregular migrants, Frontex and the NPMs” on 12 and 13 June 2012 in Belgrade as an observer.

On 3 July 2012 the Advocate of the People, Dr. Gheorghe Iancu, was removed from office by a joint decision of both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, (236 votes in favor, 1 negative vote).

This year’s IOI training course is soon taking place in Vienna. Five places are still available. Please contact the IOI General Secretariat (ioi@volksanw.gv.at) quickly to register for this high-profile training event. Registrations will be accepted until 23 July 2012.