It is with deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing of Mihail Cotorobai, People's Advocate of the Republic of Moldova. A person with distinguished human qualities, Ombudsman Cotorobai will live in our memory as a wise and respectful colleague, who substantially contributed to the development of the National Human Rights Institution in the Republic of Moldova and to the intransigent promotion of the values of fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Mrs. Erica R. Smith-Penn has been appointed Complaints Commissioner effective January 1, 2021. His Excellency the Governor Augustus Jaspert appointed Mrs. Smith-Penn to the post after consultation with the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition in accordance with section 110(2) of the Virgin Islands Constitution.

Maija Sakslin, Deputy-Ombudsman has proposed compensation for a child who was sexually exploited by a child welfare institution employee. The foster care unit and the municipality had acted appropriately to investigate the offence and to make the perpetrator liable after the incident.

In monitoring the work of the Bogovađa Asylum Center, the Protector of Citizens determined that the number of security guards in the Center was not sufficient to maintain security during major riots such as the one of 17 December 2020, and that most of migrants, who participated in the riots emerged after an employee of Commissariat for Refugees and Migration was forced to kiss a religious rites mat, were transferred to Preševo Reception Center.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chair Chu CHEN and Control Yuan (CY) members made a visit to the National Academy for Educational Research on 23 November 2020. The delegation discussed human rights education with deputy education minister Ching-Hwa TSAI and officials and researchers from the Department of Special Education, K-12 Education Administration, and National Academy for Educational Research.

On 8 December 2020, the Public Defender of Georgia and the Council of Europe held a joint online conference and presented the findings of the study conducted with the support of the Council of Europe on the administration of justice on sexual violence crimes against women.

Citizens’ Representative for Newfoundland & Labrador, Bradley Moss, released a public report on 10 December 2020, highlighting the results of an investigation of evidence concealment by a public official during a previous conflict of interest investigation by his office.

El Defensor del Pueblo santafesino. Dr. Raúl Lamberto, disertó, junto a Peter Tyndall e Irene Oseremen, en la Presentación del Memorándum de Entendimiento entre el Instituto Internacional del Ombudsman (IOI) y la Alianza Global para Ministerios e Infraestructuras para la Paz (GAMIP).