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Slovakian Ombudsman visits Ombudswoman Schwetz

On 21.01.2025, the current Chairwoman of the Austrian Ombudsman Board Elisabeth Schwetz welcomed the Slovakian Ombudsman ("Public Defender of the Rights", PDOR) Robert Dobrovodský with a delegation to the House. Mr Dobrovodský was accompanied by staff from the Fundamental Rights and NPM departments. The reason for the inaugural visit was an exchange on the topics of police and human rights. PDOR intends to submit a report to the Slovakian parliament, which will also contain examples of best practice from other European countries.

Ombudswoman Schwetz, whose areas of scrutiny also include the police, and her experts Ombudsman Dobrovodský explained the responsibilities of the Ombudsman Board as well as the course of the investigation procedure of an OPCAT Commission. One finding was that in Austria, potential cases of police abuse can be investigated in two ways - as part of a commission visit or as part of a review procedure based on a specific complaint or ex officio.

The organisation of the Ombudsman Board's OPCAT commissions and the anchoring of training in the field of fundamental and human rights in basic police training, the tension between police command and coercive power and the protection of fundamental rights or the corresponding list of recommendations of the Ombudsman Board were also discussed.

Translation was AI-generated

Group photo of Elisabeth Schwetz with the Slovakian ombudsman delegation Picture credits: Austrian Ombudsman Board/C. Schmied