MOSCOW, October 12 (RAPSI) — Lawmakers representing the New People party in the lower house of the Russian parliament have submitted to the State Duma a bill envisaging the introduction of the post of military ombudsman, the press service of the New People party informs.

The proposed institution is to protect the rights of servicemen and those liable for military service. The New People's proposal was a response to numerous appeals from citizens wrongfully conscripted as part of partial mobilization, the press release reads.

According to the bill, the military ombudsman is appointed for a 5-year term by the president. A nominee is to be over 30 years old, have an impeccable reputation and experience in human rights activities and hold the post paid from the budget no more than two terms.

The New People party also believes that the creation of the institution of commissioners for the protection of the rights of military personnel and persons liable for military service in Russia will become an additional guarantee for the military and ensure the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation.

It is expected that the position of the military ombudsman is to create effective mechanisms as to the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of military personnel and those liable for military service, as well as to improve the respective legislation. The ombudsman is to have the right to draw up requests, send reasonable proposals and initiatives, collect information, documents and materials, visit penitentiary institutions and courts, according to the authors of the legislative initiative.

The work of the military ombudsman does not replace the existing powers of state bodies to protect and restore the rights of military personnel, but complements these functions, the party stresses.

The party has already started a parliamentary support service as its members believe that at the moment systematic work is needed to protect the rights of those who are now defending the Motherland with arms in their hands as many violations and mistakes have been registered during mobilization, so the existing institution of civil ombudsmen is clearly not enough, the New People party’s leader Alexey Nechaev noted.

The authors of the initiative were Nechaev, Vice Speaker of the State Duma Vladislav Davankov and Deputy Chairman of the Duma Committee on State Building and Legislation Sardana Avksentieva.