89th E-News Letter of Asian Ombudsman Association January 2025
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PAKISTAN WAFAQI MOHTASIB INAUGURATES REGIONAL OFFICE AT MUZAFFARABAD (AJ&K).Muzaffarabad: January 22, 2025 – The Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman), Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi has asked the heads of federal agencies in AJ&K to ensure speedy resolution of public complaints. He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Wafaqi Mohtasib’s Regional Office at Muzaffarabad. |
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HONG KONG OMBUDSMAN PROBES GOVERNMENT’S WORK ON ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION OF ANIMAL RIGHTS AND WELFARE.The Ombudsman, Mr. Jack Chan, today (27 December) announced the launch of a direct investigation operation to probe the Government’s work on animal management and protection of animal rights and welfare. In recent years, various sectors of the community have a growing concern about the rights and welfare of animals, particularly in the wake of cases of severe cruelty to animals that have occurred over recent months, with many of these animals found abused to death. |
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MACAO NEW MACAO SAR COMMISSIONER AGAINST CORRUPTION APPOINTED.On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, together with the appointment of the new Macao SAR Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Sam Ho Fai, a new Commissioner against Corruption was also appointed – Ms. Ao Ieong Seong. |
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REPUBLIC OF KOREA EVEN THE COSTS FOR ISSUING UNIVERSITY ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATES ARE A BURDEN WHEN IT IS HARD TO FIND A JOB.The costs incurred by young people when obtaining electronic certificates from universities for job preparation or external activities are expected to decrease. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) prepared a “Plan to Ease the Burden of Issuing University Electronic Certificates” on the 9th of this month and recommended it to public and national universities and the Ministry of Education. |
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PAKISTAN FEDERAL OMBUDSMAN ADDRESSES MEDIA ON ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024.Islamabad –January 14, 2025: The Wafaqi Mohtasib, Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi has said that his Office received and redressed a record number of complaints during the outgoing year 2024, which stood at 226,371 and 223,171 respectively, indicating an increase of 17% and 16% in the receipt and disposal. |
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PROVINCIAL OMBUDSMAN SINDH WORKSHOP HELD AT SALIM HABIB UNIVERSITY TO SELECT TEN STUDENTS AS AMBASSADOR TO OMBUDSMAN SINDH.The 3rd Workshop under the Provincial Ombudsman Sindh’s Ambassador Programme was held at Salim Habib University, Karachi, on December 11, 2024 to instill the concept of civic responsibilities and advocacy skills in the youth of Sindh by carrying out the community outreach of ombudsman mandate to student community and general public. |
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ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN IRAN TO HOST THE FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE TWELFTH BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE OIC OMBUDSMAN ASSOCIATION.The Islamic Republic of Iran has officially announced its readiness to host the Fourth General Assembly and the Twelfth Board of Directors Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ombudsman Association (OICOA). |
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HONG KONG OMBUDSMAN ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF DIRECT INVESTIGATION OPERATION INTO GOVERNMENT’S WORK IN COMBATING ABUSE OF PUBLIC HOUSING RESOURCES.The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, (22 January) announced the completion of a direct investigation operation into the Government’s work in combating the abuse of public housing resources, with 31 major recommendations for improvement made to the Hong Kong Housing Authority (“HKHA”) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (“HKHS”). |
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AZERBAIJAN TTHE RESULTS OF A PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY AND SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING CONDUCTED.Upon instructions by the Ombudsman, Sabina Aliyeva, as part of the activities of the Ombudsman’s Working Group on “Mental Health and Human Rights”, the Office staff members monitored social media and conducted a public opinion survey to investigate the instances of stigmatization, discrimination, and attitudes towards individuals with mental illness in society. |
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REPUBLIC OF KOREA LAUNCH OF GOVERNMENT CIVIL COMPLAINT CALL CENTER SERVICE UTILIZING PRIVATE CLOUD AND AI TECHNOLOGY.A service that integrates the civil complaint call center systems of 17 government ministries is officially launching to provide citizens with quicker and more accurate government civil complaint guidance services. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) has completed the construction of the government-wide integrated call center system and opened it today. |
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PROVINCIAL OMBUDSMAN SINDH TEN STUDENTS FROM SUKKUR IBA UNIVERSITY SELECTED AS AMBASSADORS FOR OMBUDSMAN SINDH.Sukkur, January 21, 2025 – Ten students from Sukkur IBA University have been selected as Ambassadors for Ombudsman Sindh as part of the Ambassador Program. Earlier TEN students each from Hamdard University, Sindh Madressatul Islam University and Salim Habib University were selected. |
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REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN COORDINATION COUNCIL OF THE PENSION AND SOCIAL INSURANCE FUND HELD FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CITIZENS.On 30 January, an extended meeting of the Coordination Council of the Pension and Social Insurance Fund in the Republic of Tatarstan and the Council under the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan on improving the quality of life of citizens was held. |
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UZBEKISTAN ANOTHER CITIZENS’ RECEPTION HELD BY THE OMBUDSMAN.On 30 January 2025, the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsman), Feruza Eshmatova, held another reception of citizens. During the reception, citizens raised issues related to the protection of the rights of medical workers, housing matters, alimony collection, the rights of convicted individuals, banking and credit disputes, socio-economic and other rights, as well as judicial-investigative and civil law disputes. |
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GEORGIA PUBLIC DEFENDER MEETS MONITORING PROMOTION, PROTECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CRPD.On January 23, 2025, the Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, held the 38th meeting of the Consultative Council for Monitoring the Promotion, Protection and Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In his welcome speech, the Public Defender spoke about the rights situation of persons with disabilities in the country and focused on the direction of social protection. |
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TIMOR-LESTE TIMOR LESTE HOLDS ESSAY COMPETITION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ANTI-CORRUPTION..Dili, 28 January 2024 – The Provedoria dos Direitos Humanos e Justiça (PDHJ), in partnership with USAID/Timor-Leste’s Accountability and Integrity Mechanism (AIM) program, is pleased to share the inspiring work of Judelio da Silva Barros Barreto, the first-place winner of the Essay Competition on Good Governance and Anti-Corruption. |
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UZBEKISTAN IN 2024, THE NUMBER OF FRAUD CASES RELATED TO LOAN PROCESSING SURGED BY 42%, ACCORDING TO THE OMBUDSMAN.In 2024, the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Uzbekistan received over 6,000 complaints related to citizens’ economic rights. 9% of these appeals are related to cases of fraud. There has been a significant increase in cases where loans were issued in the name of citizens without their consent by using their personal data. While 110 such complaints were registered in 2023, this figure grew by 42% in 2024. |
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GEORGIA PUBLIC DEFENDER VISITS GORI SOCIAL HOUSING.On January 20, 2025, the Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, visited the Gori social housing, met with its residents and learned about their situation. “People have been living in deplorable conditions in the Gori social housing for years. Although there has been a slight improvement in conditions compared to last year, this does not change the catastrophic picture, similar to which cannot be found anywhere in Georgia. |