According to Deputy-Ombudsman Pasi Pölönen, more precise regulation is required concerning smoking bans in prisons. Any lack of clarity in regulations should be urgently rectified because the health of personnel working in prisons and of prisoners who do not smoke must be safeguarded. 

Irish Ombudsman and IOI President Peter Tyndall has warmly welcomed a Council of Europe recommendation which will further strengthen ombudsman institutions across Europe. The 47-member Council of Europe has called on member States to put in place independent ombudsman institutions with a firm legal basis and protect them when needed. 

 

The Ombudsman of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Leon Jenkins-Johnston Esq. presented the Ombudsman's Annual Report for 2018 and the first half of 2019 to His Excellency, Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio at State House. In 2018, 532 complaints were lodged in his office of which 330 were concluded.

The National Ombudsman of the Netherlands, the Ombudsman for Children and the Ombudsman for Veterans have just published a joint Annual Report 2018. The report includes a number of case studies which illustrate their work.

We are all looking forward to the 12th World Conference which will take place in Dublin/Ireland from 17 to 22 May 2020. Since we know that some IOI members with limited budgets find it difficult to attend this important event, we have decided to offer financial support to those who need it most.

El defensor del Pueblo de la provincia de Santa Fe (Argentina), Raúl Lamberto, y el rector de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Franco Bartolacci, encabezarán el 14 de noviembre a partir de las 9.30 en el Aula Magna de la Facultad de Derecho de la UNR la jornada de presentación del libro Progresos y Desafíos de los Derechos en la provincia de Santa Fe, un trabajo de investigación sobre el avance en los derechos económicos, sociales y culturales desde el enfoque de derechos humanos.

A former Council employee at the Mildura Cemetery Trust in Victoria, Australia, misused his position for personal benefit and made careless mistakes that distressed grieving families, Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass has found. Her investigation looked into allegations about the employee, who worked at Mildura’s Nichols Point and Murray Pines cemeteries from 1993 to August 2018.

At the Presentation Ceremony of The Ombudsman’s Awards on 8 November 2019, the Ombudsman of Hong Kong, China, Ms Winnie Chiu, emphasised that the promotion of good public administration is the primary focus of the Office of The Ombudsman’s work. Following its complaint handling and direct investigations, the Office makes recommendations for improvement and proactively monitors the progress of implementation. In addition to holding the annual Awards, the Office has introduced a new incentive of issuing appreciation letters to public officers in recognition of their efforts to resolve complaints.