President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has established the Office of Ombudsperson for Transitional Justice. The announcement was made public through a directive released by the President's Office.
The Office was established following the ratification of the Transitional Justice Act on December 17. The establishment of the Office of Ombudsperson for Transitional Justice is mandated under section 4A of this Act. The Ombudsperson's Office will function as an autonomous legal identity vested with powers to communicate, file a lawsuit or receive court charges under the Transitional Justice Act.
The key goals of the Transitional Justice Act are to end the culture of impunity and strengthen the rule of law, thereby strengthening democratic governance. It sanctions investigations into past wrongdoings by state authorities, heads of agencies, or individuals in power, which resulted in human rights violations.
The Act strengthens accountability mechanisms, provides a framework for redress and reparations for victims of the abuse of power, and outlines measures to avoid such abuses of authority in the future. The eligibility timeframe for cases that may be investigated according to this Act runs from January 1, 1953 to November 17, 2018.
The Transitional Justice Act further provides specifics regarding the powers and functions delegated to the Ombudsperson's office, further clarifying that the office's function must be carried out in complete autonomy under the purposes stipulated in the law without any prejudice or influence.